Forgotten Love
by Newbie GK
Summary: It has been seven years since Hitomi was on Gaea. Van begins to realize how much he loves her, but Hitomi has forgotten how to love, not to mention she is convinced that he doesn’t exist. Can a love form from where one was forgotten? Complete.
1. The Suggestion

A/N This is my first fic. I did have it previously uploaded on the FFN site, but I took it down to do some editing. This time I hope things will work, and I will post as quickly as I can.

Disclaimer: Escaflowne belonging to me? I wish!

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Prologue

The Suggestion

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Without knocking, a figure entered a lavished designed room searching for something or someone. With the grace and quietness of a thief, they moved about the room in a soundless search.

Then, upon noticing the gentle breeze flowing into the room from an opened balcony door, the figure padded over unnoticed to the doors located at the side of the room. There, under the illumination of the moonlight, it was apparent the figure was indeed a female.

The now identified female had soft pink hair that waved slightly as it ended just past her shoulders, as well as other more noticeable womanly features. Judging by those features the female, or more actually described as the woman, appeared to be in her late teenage years.

Yet, what stuck out more than her unique coloring of hair was the fact she was a half cat and half woman. Her soft golden fur with occasional black stripes proved that at a moment's glance. In addition, if someone didn't notice her fur, was the matter of a tail to consider, which currently hung low showing the concerned mood she was in. Her concern was also the object that her eyes were currently fixated on.

Her fixation, a man in his early twenties, still hadn't registered a person behind him just inside the door. The woman smiled tiredly as she stepped outside of the glass doors unto the solid stone balcony.

"Lord Van, you need a vacation," a cat-woman finally spoke as she neared the silent solitary figure. The figure was of a tall man with dark chocolate brown hair leaning on a pillar gazing down at the city below.

The man address as "Lord Van" turned his head to look at the woman. He didn't speak in return to her words but instead smiled playfully looking in her eyes then turned his head back around to admiring the city.

The woman sighed softly, but smiled to herself in return as she took a place beside him out on the balcony of the palace. The silence lasted a minute as both individuals enjoyed the magnificent view that stretched past the place walls into the heart of Fanelia. The sun had just gone down not too long ago making it difficult to see the forest in the distance at all. With the view limited, the pair looked down closer to the place grounds. Looking down below at the torch-lit street they watched as a couple walked by holding hands as if they hadn't a care in the world.

The man or Lord Van secretly longed for that ability, to be able to be in love and not worry about anything. Yet, deep down he believed that would never happen. _'Hitomi,'_ he thought the name to himself, _'if only…'_ he began to think of the possibilities. _'No,'_ he mentally shook his head; no possibilities in the world would do him any good when he had to face reality.

Meanwhile the woman noticed the couple as well. _'Oh Van,' _she thought secretly pitying the man beside her. They had known each other for so long that Merle could guess what he was thinking. _'Which is why I simply must convince him,'_ Merle thought determined.

"I mean it though," the woman said seriously returning her gaze back to him. She looked back and gestured to the city below them. "You have been working so hard to rebuild Fanelia and you have done a magnificent job."

Van smiled proudly at her uplifting words of praise and grinned at her.

"Yeah," the cat-woman continued slyly, "The only thing left for you to do now is get married so Fanelia can finally have a queen again." Her words immediately swiped the smile from Van's face. He expected this kind of talk from his advisors but from his surrogate sister? Van looked back at her shocked.

"Merle you know how I feel," he said softly speaking for the first time since she had entered his presence.

"Have you even tried taking to her lately through the pendent?" she asked.

He was silent for a moment. He knew whom Merle was referring to, but things were complicated. Slowly he stood up straight and spoke dismayed. "I've tried, but most of the time she tries her hardest to tune me out."

"There might be a reason for that," Merle speculated, thinking aloud as she looked out at the city once more.

"Oh thanks," Van replied sardonically glaring at her believing that she was trying to imply something. She noticed his sarcastic tone with the hint of bitterness.

"I didn't mean it like that!" she exclaimed trying to make amends as he eyed her skeptically.

"What did you mean then?" he questioned.

She bit her lip in response before answering. She glance up and saw he was waiting for her answer. "Oh, I don't know. I was just trying to make you feel better," she confessed. Anger vanquished at her concern for his well-being, Van offered her a smile smiled before placing a friendly kiss on her forehead. He strode back inside to his enormous room. Pausing for a moment, he glanced back at her. "Thanks," he said before continuing walking.

"Oh Lord Van," the cat-woman said turning to his retreating figure.

"Yes Merle," he called back stopping once more.

"You could always check up on her," she said approaching the spot where he stood.

"I already told you I can't because she isn't responding through the pendent. She refuses to…" he tried to remind her.

"You could visit her instead," Merle interrupted abruptly.

Van silently thought about what she said. _'It could work…' _he thought. However, he remained slightly skeptical.

"Just think about that when you decided where you want to go for a vacation," she finished with a cunning smirk. She stood for a few more moments beside him. When their eyes met once more, she gave him a mother-like smile and exited the room quietly, her tailing swaying side to side gently behind her.

End of Prologue

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A/N Like I said this is my 1st fic so please review and I am open to whatever advice you wish to offer. 

Please Review


	2. Raw Wounds

A/N I mostly left this chapter as it was, because it didn't need too much editing. I did however change the timeline some, so Hitomi is 22, and it's been seven years since she has been to Gaea.

Merlegirl -thanks for being the 1st person to review and so quickly too! I wasn't sure if anyone was going to because some people have already read the prologue before. That and many people don't take time to stop and send support. Oh yeah that reminds me.

To all readers/reviewers: when you send a review you can always tell me about an escaflowne story of yours you want me to check out, because I tend to miss a lot of well-written ones without realizing it.

Disclaimer: I don't own escaflowne. yet. BUt I HaVe A PlAN!!!! (Evil laughter fills the air)

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Chapter 1

Raw Wounds

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"Hitomi, dear, why don't you come inside for a moment, so I can talk to you?" 

The voice startled a young woman with shoulder-length dirty blonde hair who was sitting peacefully on a porch swing. Hitomi let out a sigh at the broken tranquility and turned to look at her mother who was starring at her from inside a screen door. The golden glow reflecting the sun's dying rays on her mother's face gave her a youthful appearance but Hitomi knew better. Her mother was looking older everyday. Her mother's once deep, rich, brown hair was turning to gray; her mother's face that once looked so happy and youthful had turned tired looking and old with each new wrinkle added.

Hitomi nodded slightly to her mother and returned to look out at the sun setting in the distance for a few more moments. It was Hitomi's favorite time of day. It was right around dusk and the sky was painted with colors of the rainbow. Pink dominated the colored sky, but its bright color met with the waves of orange, purple, and blue as it surrounded the setting fireball in the west.

After one last glance at the multicolored sky, Hitomi slowly rose from her comfortable position of laying on the porch swing to walk inside the old house where her family had lived for generations. Hitomi stepped inside the house and shut the door behind her. As she slipped off her shoes, her thoughts drifted off to the silence of her childhood home.

The house seemed bare and empty with everyone gone: everyone meaning the guests from the party that took place a couple hours before. Hitomi didn't like parties too much anymore. To her it seemed asinine to spend a week planning and a day cleaning just to impress people who you hardly ever see for a party that lasts only a few hours.

The party wasn't a total waste though. Hitomi was able to see a couple of her friends from her teenage years: Yukari and Amano. She hadn't seen either one of them besides a quick run in at the market every now and then for almost a year. Although, Yukari does manage to call every now and then, when she wasn't watching her little one-year-old, Angela, of course.

Yep, Yukari and Amano had gotten married a few years ago, around two years to be exact. Hitomi was just out of the hospital by that time and was delighted to attend the wedding. What Hitomi didn't realize at the time was both Yukari and Amano felt Hitomi should be in the wedding. So without her knowledge it was arranged and Hitomi was the bridesmaid.

Hitomi sighed; she missed those happy times with friends and with family. Life was so different now with everyone but her mother gone. Her father and grandmother had passed years before and her little brother was attending college in Europe, something Hitomi was still trying to get use to.

No wonder why it was so quiet now. Hitomi's brother was always restless, running from one place to another never stopping to take a break. Even though he was eighteen now, he still acted like an impulsive child. He had an attention span that only lasted for ten minutes at the most. Most people would think that he would have a hard time making lasting relationships, but truthfully, he had a charismatic nature that people loved.

"Hey mom where are you?" Hitomi called out glancing up the stairs. Her voice seemed dead in the air. Nevertheless, her mother must have heard it for Hitomi heard a voice respond.

"In here Hitomi," a voice answered from the small living room.

Hitomi looked to the direction the sound came from. She walked over and paused in the doorway when she saw her mother sitting on a rocking chair on the right side of the room. Her mother was looking at the pictures that hung on the wall decorating the room.

This was the "picture room" as her family often referred to it, because in order to decorate the plain white walls in the room, Mrs. Kanzaki hung almost all of the family pictures on the walls and each year would add a least one new one.

Hitomi followed her mother's gaze to a picture of her father that hung on the left side of the fireplace. Her mother had paid to have the portrait done professional after his death.

The artist had used a smaller picture to see what her father looked like then painted the background to make him look like he was sitting by a lake. He always loved to fish out on the lake a mile away from the house; it was his favorite place to go.

Slowly Hitomi's eyes focused again on her mother. Her father's death had hurt them all, but it hurt her mom the most and obviously the pain hadn't diminished any despite the happy face her mom put on for others. He had died while she was still in high school, shortly after her seventeenth birthday.

"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about, mother?" Hitomi asked causing her mother to halt her gaze at her late husband's picture.

"Sit down dear," her mother replied, gesturing to the couch across from her. Hitomi did as her mother bid her; curious about why her mom was being so serious and what it could be that she needed to tell her.

"Hitomi I have to ask you why you were being so rude to that Rafael boy who came to the party," her mother said bluntly getting right to the heart of the matter.

"I wasn't being rude!" she protested. "I just wanted to catch up about old times with a couple of my friends!" Hitomi exclaimed shocked at the accusation.

"Hitomi," her mother replied softly causing Hitomi to become very silent and still. "You may have not been rude tonight, but you still ignore and act fickle towards any man that takes a slight interest in you."

"It's not on purpose," Hitomi said ashamed looking down at the wooden floor.

"Yes, it is," her mother replied noticing her daughter's look of guilt. "And you know it," she accused further. Hitomi looked up at her mother in disbelief at her harsh words; her green eyes filled with shock. Mrs. Kanzaki looked at her daughter steadily and continued speaking. "You need to accept the fact that one day you have to get married and settle down. After all that's how life goes: you meet someone, slowly get to know them; fall in love; and get married. Everyone does it one day, so why…"

"Why!" Hitomi shouted interrupting her. She jumped to her feet while her mother sat stunned at her outburst. Hitomi ignored her mother's stunned expression and continued her rant.

"Why should I? I spent two long years in a mental hospital to recover from hallucinations about a man I loved, but never existed. Don't you see that I can't love again when I still can't forget?"

Mrs. Kanzaki's shoulders sagged and she weakly raised her arm to try to stop Hitomi from leaving, but it was no use. Hitomi ran out of the room crying. Mrs. Kanzaki jumped slightly in her chair when she heard the door to the outside slam. Hitomi would most likely be going to her old high school. It's where she always went when something was wrong.

Mrs. Kanzaki had found out when she followed her daughter the night they got the news that her father died. Mrs. Kanzaki saw her daughter curled tightly in a ball crying. Then she noticed something strange.

A faint blue light from the sky came down on Hitomi and her crying ceased. Then Hitomi began to look up and acted as if she was in a trance. It was as if she were talking to someone. A cold fear swept over Mrs. Kanzaki; she knew then that Hitomi might leave for good one day to return to that_ other_ world.

That same night she called St. Michaels' Care & Correctional Facility to arrange for Hitomi to stay there. After all if Hitomi didn't believe that the other world existed, she couldn't and wouldn't want to return.

Mrs. Kanzaki shook herself from her thoughts and went back to looking at her late husband's picture. She tried to assure herself that she was looking after Hitomi's best interest. _'After all,'_ Mrs. Kanzaki reasoned _'Hitomi belongs here on earth with me._' Mrs. Kanzaki sighed. _'Hitomi would get over it.' _But a resounding voice in her head left doubt in her mind.

_'It had been seven years and Hitomi still hadn't.'_

End of Chapter

A/N So what did you think. I know its sad Hitomi's mother had her go to a mental hospital but she was scared Hitomi would leave her. That and its important in my plot. Don't forget…  
PLEASE REVIEW!!!!


	3. Thoughts

GK: Hey I got some reviews! (starts dancing) Wait don't go away! I'll stop dancing I swear! (Has fingers crossed behind back)  
  
Well now that I have no more additional insane things to do or say. on with the thank-yous.  
  
Lady Luna - thanks for supporting my timeline where Hitomi went to the loony bin. I thought it would be a good twist too. As for Merle, I going to work hard and add to her character, because I like her.  
  
Cyber1 - Thanks for your words of encouragement. For a long time I wasn't sure if I should attempt this fic again.  
  
Disclaimer: (A girl is bent over pounding feverishly on the keyboard of an old beat up computer.) Too busy to steal pendant and make my wish to own escaflowne. (She hesitates then types some more.) However, I will succeed one day. (Evil laugher fills the dark room.)  
  
~Thoughts~  
  
A bright stream of sunlight poured through a set of glass doors on the far right side of the room, casting its light on a sleeping figure. The figure, however, remained in a deep sleep and ignored the persistent sun.  
  
The figure had a small frown set on his rigid tan face, but other than that he remained sleeping peacefully, breathing deeply and occasionally emitting a sigh of contentment.  
  
After a soft knock at the wooden door to the man's room a small servant girl stepped intro the room quietly. Leaving the door slightly agape, she approached the figure on the enormous bed. She blocked the sun slightly with her small body as she stood stilly on the right side of the bed.  
  
She stared at the silhouette for a moment. Then once she realized that she should be getting about with her chores she called out to the sleeping man to awaken him.  
  
"Your Highness," she called out hesitantly with her eyes cast on the floor. The man did nothing until the girl called out again. After hearing himself called by his title for a second time, the man rolled over to face her. He opened his eyes several times to shake the call of sleep from them. (A/N yes, the man is Van)  
  
After he finally woke up and gained his bearings, he glanced at the girl before him. The girl was short and thin. She looked to be about twelve years of age. Her thin blonde hair that framed her pale face and big round brown eyes gave her an innocent childlike appearance. Her name was Casena.  
  
Casena had only recently started working at the castle. It was obvious she was still very nervous by how she was biting her bottom lip and wringing her hands together.  
  
"Thank you Casena. You may leave now." Van told her with a reassuring smile.  
  
"As you wish Mi'Lord," she replied respectfully with a curtsey.  
  
As the girl left, Van sat up in bed, still tired. Ever since Merle left, he had spent the night thinking about Hitomi. He still hadn't made his decision on whether or not to visit her on the Mystic Moon.  
  
Still a little sluggish from just waking up, he rose slowly from the bed. After standing for a moment, supporting his weight on his tired legs, he walked across the room to his bathroom to take a quick hot shower to wake himself up. But first, he went to his enormous closet to get a new set of clothing to wear.  
  
As he reached his enormous closet, he looked about his wardrobe with a small smile. Each set of clothing was neatly organized and practically had royalty sewn with each stitch.  
  
Ever since the war, drastic changes had taken place. Changes involving rebuilding, new beginnings, peace talks, and everything Arden touched.  
  
When Van appointed Arden as his advisor, he was, to say the least, a little unprepared. Arden had immediately set out to fit Van in the image of a "true king."  
  
First summoned was one of Gaea's best tailors, Fader de Weirton, a famous man who despite his old age had a very lively spirit. Something Van found out the hard way when he told Fader he didn't need any new clothes. In the end, Van had received a lecture about the difference between need and want and a major wardrobe change.  
  
Fader threw his comfortable clothes of a red shirt and tan pants out immediately after he took a small glance at them. In fact, he flung them right at a servant who was standing nearby with the order to throw them into the trash.  
  
His plain red shirt was replaced by various rich colored shirts with a collar that had the symbol of Fanilia embroidered in gold on it to show his position of wealth. Something Van had protested, but Arden overruled him on it. Also on the left side of all his shirts near the shoulder was the emblem of the throne.  
  
Van personally didn't care for the uncomfortable fancy shirts, but Arden was adamant that he wore such things. Replacing his pants were various styles of black, brown, and even a few tan pants. Van however thought his old tan pants were more comfortable.  
  
Van was forced to take lessons in "proper manner and etiquette" as Arden eloquently put it. Apparently, Van's "blunt hotheaded way," also said by Arden, was not how a King should act.  
  
So Van, King of all Fanilia was forced against his will take lessons on how to, put simply, act polite. It would cause Van unbearable humiliation is anyone knew of this, but Van swore Arden to secrecy.  
  
However, Arden still makes causal, "innocent" references to it on occasions as blackmail.  
  
After Van finished his shower and was dressed, he treaded over to the balcony, where he talked to Merle last night.  
  
He stepped outside on to the cement balcony and leaned against the stone pillar. The stone pillar was his thinking spot, where he liked to sort things out.  
  
Slowly he sighed as he ran his fingers through his deep chocolate brown hair. His deep auburn eyes showed his true weariness of his heart.  
  
Van briefly began to think about the conversation that took place with Merle last night, but then his mind drifted off to the argument that kept him up most of the night; an argument he had with himself as he lay in bed last night trying desperately to get to sleep.  
  
*Flashback to last night*  
  
"I should see her again."  
  
"No it's been too long."  
  
"So that just means I shouldn't waste anymore time. I should see her now. I have a perfect opportunity."  
  
"Why even bother thinking about this, she will most likely have moved on in the past seven years."  
  
"That doesn't mean I can't see her."  
  
"Yes but she might not want to see you. After all she broke the connection."  
  
"It could be because of something else, like something happened."  
  
"Yeah she found a relationship with someone and that someone wasn't you."  
  
*End of Flashback*  
  
Van closed his eyes in frustration and in regret. He should have visited her years ago, but one thing after another kept interfering. It was as if the fates were against him and didn't want them to be together. Yet, Hitomi could control fate at times so could it be Hitomi who didn't want them to be together. Could that be it? Was that the reason she broke the connection?  
  
He exhaled a painful sigh. He needed some closure on this issue, so he would quit wondering and have some answers for once.  
  
"But the only way to do that is to see her again." Van spoke aloud raising his head to look at the Mystic Moon that hovered above him in the early morning sky.  
  
~End of Chapter 2~  
  
A/N OK sorry bout another semi-short chapter, but I wanted to post what I had typed as quick as possible. I'm gonna try to post the next chapter as quickly and have it be longer. But there are no guarantees because my computer seems to be crashing more than usually lately. I'm just hoping it isn't a virus. (Crosses fingers for luck)  
  
Oh yeah don't 4get 2 review and Thankx 4 da reviews I already got. (I'll have personal reviews for my next chapter as well.) 


	4. The Meeting

A/N I want to think you readers for being so patient with me.  I apologize for my delays, but my computer has been going haywire.  Anyways here is the newest chapter.  As for chapter four, it will come out soon.

Thanks:

Aniri – Thanks for the offer.  I hope you review again in the future.

Elle – Thanks for the offer.  Please continue to read my story.

Hitomi-chan – I think ur story "more than meets the eye," is gr8!  I hope you update soon.  Anywayz I enjoyed reading ur review.  LOL

Aradow – Sorry about the A/N in the middle of the page. Anywayz thankx for being supportive of my view of what happened.

Luna Lady – I'm glad to see you again.  I will admit Merle is gonna be a little nosy in this fic, but itz only because she wants Van to be happy.

Cyber1 – I'm glad to see you're back as well.

Eternalsilence2 – I agree it was sad what Hitomi's mom did to her.

last but not least...

my new beta – Laran – you are a major help in this for offering support and advice.

Now here's the chapter.

~The Meeting~

Heading out of his room, Van spotted his advisor.  "Arden I need to speak with you," Van called out to his personal advisor.

A tall lanky man with sandy blonde hair turned around to locate the source of the person calling his name.  After realizing it was the king, he smiled and shook his head.  "Sorry Your Highness, but you don't have any choice in the matter."

"What do you mean I don't have any choice in the matter," Van said slightly agitated.  He had spent all night trying to figure out what to do and now he finds out that Arden took away that option.

"You're going on a vacation, and that's the end of the discussion," Arden continued as he started to walk away. 

Van remained standing in the middle of the hallway.  He was shocked to put it mildly.  It seemed to him that everyone was deciding how to rule his life.  "What is going on around here with everyone telling what I should or shouldn't do?" Van asked the other man once he caught up with him.

"Well, Merle and I talked last night after she left your room and we both felt that…" Arden started to explain.

"Oh you were TALKING," Van said, emphasizing the word talking as if he didn't believe him.  Van paused as he watched his close friend start to blush.  Then he lowered his eyes as if to think.  "That has to be a first," he continued innocently as he looked back up at his friend's face.  Arden looked back at Van confused.

"Well sorry Arden but usually it takes two to have a conversation and you don't exactly talk when Merle's around," Van said watching his friend's face for a reaction to his words.

Arden face turned into a deeper shade of crimson as he tried his hardest to glare at Van who was chuckling mercilessly at his friend's expense.  Arden had been harboring a secret crush on Merle for a long time.  However, since the Petas'ki Party that took place two years ago, Van found out by listening to the confession of a drunken Arden.  ****

_(Flashback to the Party)_

_A tall man carefully searched while sidestepping another person who laid on the ground passed out from too much liquor.  The torch-lit street did little to eliminate the shadows that danced across the man's face.  The man's hair, which was a dark chocolate brown, seemed to be as dark as the night sky above.  Dark as the night sky until another round of fireworks went off illuminating the sky. _

_Everyone in the streets looked up and watched the magnificent display, including the mysterious man.  Another set quickly followed the first, lighting the sky with a bright flashes of colorful light.  As the light show continued, the shadows dissipated from the man's face to reveal a pair of auburn eyes that glinted warmly and a trace of a smile on his youthful-looking face.  His name was Van Fanel, King of Fanelia.   _

_The sound of recognizable laughter however grabbed the young king's attention away from the light show.  Van quickly scanned the crowd; desperately trying to locate where the laughter had come from.  Fate must have been with him because the young man found one of the two friends that he had been looking for._

_"I am so glad I finally found you Arden, I have been looking everywhere for you." he said as he neared the man. _

_"Really because I am sorry to tell you, Your Highness, I don't think you're my type," the man replied smiling. "What?" Van asked giving his advisor a hard look. _

_Arden noticed the weird look he was receiving and spoke up again.  "Well sorry, Your Highness, but I had to break the news to you sometime," he replied laughing. _

_Van shook his head; Arden evidently had one too many drinks. Or was it five too many drinks? Obviously, Van had to figure out a way to get Arden back to the palace so he would get some rest and wouldn't be completely hung over tomorrow.  So deep in thought about what he was going to do, Van missed what Arden said next. _

_"What did you say?" Van asked pulling himself from his thoughts. ___

_"__Did you know your sister is very beautiful?" Arden repeated.  ___

_"__Did you know you're very drunk?" Van asked dryly.  _

_"__Yes," he responded without missing a beat, nodding his head eagerly.  Van just smiled and shook his head at his friend's comical looking behavior.  _

_"__Did you know that I like your sister?" he continued.  Well now Van had proof.  He had actually suspected that Arden had a crush on Merle for a long time now.  He however remained silent until another recognizable sight caught his eye. ___

_"__Do you know that she is coming this way?" Van asked, gesturing to something behind Arden.  Arden turned around and saw what Van was talking about. Merle was indeed was coming their way, staggering as she did so.  ___

Her staggering didn't go unnoticed by Van either. "Don't tell me you got her drunk too," Van groaned putting a hand to his forehead.  Arden whipped his head around to flash Van a devious grin. "As you wish, Your Highness, I won't tell you," he said before laughing.

_'Just great,' Van thought, 'now I've got two drunk friends to get back to the palace.' _

_"Hi Lord Van," Merle slurred cheerfully as she joined the two men.  _

_"Hello Merle," Van greeted with a sigh. _

_"Hello Lady Merle," Arden greeted enthusiastically with a courteous bow to which Merle giggled like a little girl.  _

_"Hello Arden," Merle responded shyly with a curtsey._

_"Is there any way for me to convince the two of you to leave the party and go back to the palace?"  Van asked rhetorically._

_Arden and Merle just laughed as if Van had just told a joke.  To them it probably was a joke.  Van shook his head, "I guess not, but at least I tried," he said turning his head away from the giggling pair.  _

_He watched the as the drunken crowd laughed and cheered at the light display in the sky.  They had a right to celebrate.  It had been five years since the War.  Five years since the blood stained the ground from morning until night.  Times were safe now.  Yet, Van feared they wouldn't stay that way.  There were rumors that groups of people from the former Zaibach Empire were becoming restless once again._

_"Van, you should get something to drink," Merle advised him._

_"Really, my dear sister, please do explain," Van responded in an amused tone._

_"Simple, its fun.  Plus you need to loosen up; you're too serious," she explained with an attempted stern expression that failed miserably._

_Van just shook his head smiling.  "I'll remember that," he told the cat-woman.  _

_"Good," she replied with a nod before turning her attention to Arden.  "Arden, would you care for a dance?"_

_"I would be delighted," the lanky man responded.  Laughing the pair began to "dance," which basically meant they tripped as they staggered around in circles together.  Drunken friends were always fun to watch, but unfortunately delegates were coming tomorrow at noon and he needed both Arden and Merle to be at their best.  Suddenly Van had an idea.  _

_"Merle, would you do me a favor?"  Van asked turning back to the young cat-woman.  _

_"Sure.  What do you need Van?" she asked dropping her hands off Arden's shoulders. _

_He pulled her aside away from Arden who was too mesmerized by the light show to notice they had left.  "Well, I think Arden is drunk, but I need you to convince him to go back to the palace.  Do you think you can do that?" Van asked.  If Merle could lead Arden back to the palace, she would have to go back herself._

_"Of course I can," the drunk woman told the King proudly.  "Oh Arden, can I see you for a moment?" she said approaching the advisor._

_(End of Flashback)___

"Are you going or not?" Arden asked impatiently drawing Van from the amusing memory.  "I am assuming that everything is already in order for my departure so I'll leave in a hour," Van told the fair-haired man.  

"Splendid," Arden said smiling.  "Yes isn't it?" Van remarked mockingly.  Arden saw that Van was mocking him, but knew that it wasn't meant to be unkind.   Through all the years that he had been Van's advisor and friend he had began to realize that Van usually snapped at people when he needed them the most.  Pushing aside his slight anger, Arden focused on what could be bothering the young King.  "What are you so glum about?  You're going to see your teenage sweetheart again, the first time in seven years." Arden said confused.

"Yeah," Van said despondently as he looked out one of the arches of the castle at the landscape of gentle rolling hills and part of a deep green forest.

"Seriously Van, if you don't want to go no one will force you to," Arden said sincerely, putting a hand on the king's shoulder for support.

"I know, but truth be told, this is something I need to do," Van replied lifting his head to the sky.  'Soon I'll be with you once again, Hitomi,' Van thought to himself privately as he gazed at the mysterious moon that hung low in the sky.  'I only pray that you won't hate me for intruding on your life, but I have no choice.  I need the answers that only you can give.'

~Meanwhile~

Hitomi opened her eyes when she heard a soft knock at the door and a voice that followed.  "Hitomi are you awake yet?  It's getting a little late," her mother's voice called out timidly from the other side of the wooden door.  

"Yeah mom I'm up," she called back pulling herself out of bed.  She glanced at her alarm clock; it read 9:31 am.  "She wasn't kidding," Hitomi said to herself as she stretched a little.  Hitomi usually was up by eight at the latest every morning.  

She strode over to her dresser to look in the mirror.  Her eyes were still slightly puffy from crying the night before, and her hair that reached her shoulders was a complete mess.  She looked horrible, but then again she did just wake up.  

As she started to comb gently through her mass of tangles, her thoughts drifted back to last night.  Guilt rushed through Hitomi when she remembered the fit she threw last night before storming out of the house near dusk nonetheless.  

Her anger would lead to her downfall no doubt.  Hitomi chided herself mentally at her childish antics.  There was no reason to overreact like she did. Her mother was only trying to help and offer advice.  

Hitomi shook her head slightly to scold herself.  She needed to quit being so emotional all the time.  'Oh well, today is a new day to start,' Hitomi thought to herself looking at her reflection in the mirror.  'Speaking of which, I better get a move on.'

She changed into a pair of fresh clothes, a pair of light blue jean shorts and a light green T-shirt.  Putting on her traditional necklace, a male angel, she glanced once more at her reflection in the mirror.  A 22-year-old woman with piercing green eyes stared back at her.  

Out of habit, she brushed her long dark blonde hair as she continued to think.  Maybe her mother was right about settling down.  'After all I'm not getting any younger,' she thought to herself.  "For crying out loud, I still live with my mother," she said aloud shaking her head.  'Oh well,' Hitomi thought.  Her mom needed her.  Her mom needed someone to keep her from being lonely.  But that did nothing to ease the ache in Hitomi's heart of longing to get a chance to spread her wings a bit, so to speak.

'The food is bound to be freezing cold by now,' she thought to herself looking at her reflection in the mirror for the umpteenth time.  After making sure she looked decent, Hitomi headed downstairs to the kitchen for some breakfast.

As Hitomi came down the stairs, a tasty smell penetrated her senses.  Sniffing the air Hitomi tried to identify what it was.  "Bacon," Hitomi said with a smile.  "Hey mom," Hitomi greeted the woman, taking a seat at the kitchen table.  

"Hello dear," Mrs. Kanzaki said turning her head to glance at her oldest child.  She smiled and turned back to the stove to fix the bacon.  She was glad to see her daughter wasn't still mad at her.  She hated it when they would fight.  Especially now since it was just the two of them in the house by themselves.  

"The bacon is ready," she told her daughter.  Carefully she put most of the bacon on Hitomi's plate then put the rest on her own.  

"Hey mom, do you think you can make pancakes?" Hitomi asked trying to start a conversation.  

Mrs. Kanzaki smiled.  'Yes, things were back to normal again.'  "Chocolate chip?" she asked her daughter.  Hitomi nodded eagerly.  "I'll take a look," she rising from her seat to look in the food pantry.  She scanned the shelves.  "I'm sorry dear it looks like we're out of chocolate chips, but tell you what, I'll run to the store to get some," she informed her daughter.  

"Oh don't worry about it, I'll go," Hitomi said getting up.  

"Are you sure dear?" Mrs. Kanzaki asked.  Hitomi nodded.  "All right then," Mrs. Kanzaki said handing her daughter some money to purchase the chocolate.  

"I'll be back in a little bit," Hitomi called as she went out the door.  It was a beautiful day outside.  The sun was already up and warming the air.  It would probably get hot later in the afternoon but for now it was perfect.  'You know I haven't had a run in a long time,' Hitomi thought to herself.  'Well might as well, a small run couldn't hurt anything,' Hitomi thought to herself as she started running.

~~~~~~~

"I'm going to miss you Lord Van," Merle said giving the tall man a hug good-bye.  "I will only be gone a week or two at the latest," Van explained holding his adoptive sister in tight embrace.  "I know, but I'm still going to miss you," she said, releasing the man.  

"Well I guess its time for me to go," Van said stepping away from the group of people who had come to see him off.  He nodded to Arden who returned the nod.  They had talked in the past hour before his departure.  Arden knew that Van was nervous about seeing Hitomi again.  'Hitomi,' Van thought with a trace of longing looking up at the open sky were Hitomi's home hung.  

"I hope this works," he said softly as he pulling the necklace out that he usually hid under his shirt.  Suddenly the pink gem of the necklace began to glow and a faint blue light began to envelop his body.  Then he felt his body being lifted into the air; the next moment he was gone.

~~~~~~~

"What am I doing here?" Hitomi asked herself confused.  Her small run had taken to her old high school.  'Strange,' Hitomi thought as she shook her head.  Usually she came to the track to think; like she did last night.  She must be feeling distracted.  She turned to walk away the store was down another block and the quicker she got there, the quicker she could get back and be able to eat.  'Yet,' Hitomi thought to herself as she turned back around.  

She gazed at the track field.  'One quick run on the old track wouldn't hurt,' Hitomi reasoned.  'After all it would be interesting to see if I am still in shape after my school days,' she reasoned.  Pushing open the unlocked fence gate she headed to the track.  

She took a place at the start of the track.  One sprint then she would head to the store.  She lowered herself into a running position.  In her mind, she pictured her old track days: the stands full of teams and parents who had come to cheer on the participants; the track itself full of people competing in various events.  She missed those days when life was nice and simple.  

Suddenly, she took off running as hard as she could; letting all of her troubled thoughts slip from her mind.  As she neared the end of the hundred meters, something unplanned happened.  A blue light fell from the sky and a young man with dark chocolate brown hair appeared out of nowhere, directly in Hitomi's path.  

For a second Hitomi had a glimpse of Déjà vu, then she realized that if she didn't manage to stop she would run into the man.  "Watch out," she called trying to slow down. 

Van opened his eyes to find himself alone, or so he thought.  "Watch out!" he heard someone call.  'So much for being alone,' Van thought as he grimaced before turning around.  'Hopefully the person wouldn't freak out about a person dropping out of the sky.  Wait a second, "Watch out" what was going on?'  "What do you mean..." Van began to ask when he saw a young woman about ready to run into him.  Pushing aside thoughts of Déjà vu, Van braced himself for the collision. 

Hitomi saw there was no way to avoid the man and closed her eyes as she braced herself for the inevitable crash.

-End of chapter-__

A/N I KNOW I KNOW I AM EVIL TO JUST LEAVE IT HERE BUT I WANTED TO POST WHAT I HAD WRITTEN.

Anyways, what did you think of my "did you know," part between Arden and Van?  I apologize if you thought it was a little corny but I wrote at midnight one night, so I was very tired.  Please Review.


	5. Reactions

GK: Sorry to keep ya'll waiting.  But hey here's the newest chapter!  Please review after you read it.

Disclaimer:  I DON'T OWN ESCAFLOWNE!!!!! _(Collapses on the floor and starts crying)_

THANKS

Aradow – You're in luck.  This chapter is all about their reactions towards each other... however things won't be explained thoroughly until next time. Just check it out; don't forget to review!

LPDramaBabe – thankx for the compliments; you never can have too many of those. LOL. Anywayz I hope you continue to review other chapters.

darksteampunk – Well here is the newest chappy.  Thankx for the ego boost in ur review.  LOL.  I hope that u will continue to review this story.

Lady Laran – I can never thank you enough for helping me with this chapter.  I appreciate your patience in dealing with me constantly changing things.  I couldn't do it without you.

~~LAST TIME~~ 

Suddenly, Hitomi took off running as hard as she could; letting all of her troubled thoughts slip from her mind.  As she neared the end of the hundred meters, something unplanned happened.  A blue light fell from the sky and a young man with dark chocolate brown hair appeared out of nowhere, directly in Hitomi's path.  

For a second Hitomi had a glimpse of Déjà vu, then she realized that if she didn't manage to stop, she would run into the man.  "Watch out," she called trying to slow down. 

Van opened his eyes to find himself alone, or so he thought.  "Watch out!" he heard someone call.  'So much for being alone,' Van thought as he grimaced before turning around.  'Hopefully the person wouldn't freak out about a person dropping out of the sky.  Wait a second, "Watch out" what was going on?'  

"What do you mean..." Van began to ask when he saw a young woman about ready to run into him.  Pushing aside thoughts of Déjà vu, Van braced himself for the collision. 

Hitomi saw there was no way to avoid the man and closed her eyes as she braced herself for the inevitable crash.

~~~~~~~~~End of Chapter~~~~~~~~~

~Reactions~

Hitomi closed her eyes as she braced herself for the crash. Their bodies met with a powerful smack, and each person felt themselves falling. Van didn't want to hurt the girl so he used his body as a cushion to break her fall.

Van grunted in pain as he felt his back collide against the ground.  Then he let out another grunt as the girl landed on top of him, elbowing him in the stomach accidentally. 

Hitomi slowly opened her eyes to find herself drowning in the eyes of another.  Curiously, she looked into the man's eyes crimson brown eyes with her dark green ones.  After a few moments she tore her eyes away to study the face she laid just inches from.  The man looked extremely handsome with a warm face with a pleasant smile.  

"So how long are planning to lay on me for?" Van asked the woman with a friendly smile drawing Hitomi's eyes to stare into his own once more.  Hitomi blushed faintly and carefully began to climb off the man.  After standing up, she reached a hand down to help the man to his feet.  

Van accepted the offer and climbed slowly to his feet.  He wasn't seriously injured.  'However, my tailbone wasn't feeling too good at the moment,' he thought with a slight wince as he began to move around.  Hitomi noticed the man's wince and felt bad for pummeling him moments before.  

"Are you all right?" she asked the stranger in a shy voice, biting her lip slightly as she did so.  In her mind, Hitomi wanted to kick herself; she sounded like an idiot.  

Van grinned broadly at the shy woman before him.  "Of course I am.  Its not everyday I meet someone as beautiful as you."  Van nearly hit himself.  'Whoa there Van, you been hanging around Allen way too much obviously,' Van thought to himself remembering the blonde knight's flirtatious nature around women.  'And besides, you're here to see Hitomi not flirt with some girl that you've just run into, no matter how beautiful she is.'  

The man's comment made Hitomi's blood pour into her cheeks, giving her face a deep scarlet blush. Trying to regain her composure, Hitomi wondered briefly why she didn't feel even a bit angry at his commonly used pick-up line. Usually she would turn charmers like this down immediately, but there was just something about him.

"Sorry about running into you; I didn't see you until it was too late," she apologized looking at the ground with a faint blush resigning in her cheeks.  

"Its alright.  I should have been watching where I was going," Van said as he studied the girl.  She was shorter than he was by nearly a foot, but then again he was pretty tall now that he had grown since he and Hitomi had last parted.  He was nearing his late brother's height actually.  He looked down at her trying to get a better glimpse of the woman's face.  

Unfortunately, her head was looking down, causing her shoulder length dirty blonde hair to fall free of where it was tucked behind her ears to cover the woman's face like a makeshift veil.  A part of him wanted to tuck the rogue strands of hair back and draw her chin up to get a good look at her.  

Another part though reminded him of how improper it would be to do such a thing. Yet, he still wished to look upon her face again.  So far, he had only seen her face briefly, when they lay on the ground. But even in that brief moment, he knew there was something familiar about her. He just didn't know what... yet. If he could get a better look, he might be able to figure out what it was exactly.

"My friends call me 'Tomi," Hitomi said sticking her hand out for him to shake with her eyes looking away from his. 

"I'm Van; it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Tomi," Van told her as he bent over and kissed her hand instead. As he kissed the woman's hand, Van raised his crimson brown eyes to look up at the woman. Startled, he saw the jade eyes that he remembered vividly from all those years ago.  

Hitomi shivered when she felt Van's lips softly graze her hand with a light kiss. The gesture sent tingles down her spine.  When he released her hand, Hitomi drew it back in surprise.  She stared at the man curiously.  

Meanwhile, Van stared back at her incredulously.  'Was _this_ Hitomi?'  His mind screamed the question, as Van stood there dumbfounded. 'Was this woman the girl who captured his heart and thoughts so many years ago?

To say the least, Van was in shock.  When he left Gaea, he wasn't even sure he would be able to find her.  But now she stood before him eyeing him curiously as if he was some stranger she had never seen before.

Not noticing the disbelief the covered the man's face, Hitomi gazed at the man before her.  He was tall and almost had a lanky look about him.  However, he did seem to be well built, Hitomi noticed with a slight blush as she looked at his nearly see-though white shirt.  

'Say, speaking of his clothes, he looked as if he came right out of story of people in the olden days,' Hitomi realized.  After all, the man had a sword hung low on his hip.  'Wait a second,' Hitomi thought to herself.  'What was this man doing with a sword!'  

"Is that real?" gasped Hitomi gesturing to the weapon that hung low at his side, snapping Van back to reality.  Van grimaced seeing her confusion and newfound uncertainty.  He knew he should have left his sword at home, but he was reluctant to go anywhere without it.  Van nodded unsure of what else to say to the girl.  As he began to look her over, he reminded himself that this was Hitomi.  'It's amazing.  I finally found you Hitomi,' Van thought to himself eyeing the older version of the girl he used to know.

She was in her early twenties now with the mesmerizing emerald green eyes that he knew so well and the small dirty blonde hair that blew with the wind. 'Just like I remember her,' Van mused silently. 'No, not just like I remember her,' Van realized, shaking his head mentally. 

There were some differences between the woman before him and his memory of Hitomi, such as her hair.  It was slightly longer now and reached her shoulder, instead of being chopped short around her ears. In addition, her skin was tan, instead of being pale and a fair color. And of course she looked older in his mind, it had been years since he had seen her after all. But truly, it just enriched her beauty. Over all though, Hitomi looked very much the same.

"Do you come here often?" he asked trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had enveloped the pair.  He was unsure of what to say to the girl that he had fell in love with so long ago.  "Usually, just to think," Hitomi told him.  Van nodded and looked around at the surrounding area.   

It looked like the place where he had originally met Hitomi.  It was strange that he had met up with Hitomi the same way he met her seven years before; it was as if time was replaying itself.  The first time he was here he was battling a dragon; now he was here yet again, only this time he was battling the butterflies that danced in his stomach as he gazed at his old sweetheart once more. 

Hitomi saw that the man was in deep thought over something so she decided to leave.  "It was nice meeting you, Van," she said softly with a charming smile snapping Van out of his thoughts.  "Meeting you?"  Van asked confused.  Van looked back at the girl and gave her a quick once over.  This was Hitomi; he was sure of it.  

"Have we met before?" Hitomi asked the man slightly confused.

Van just looked at her in disbelief.  Was she playing a game with him?  "You are Hitomi Kanzaki; are you not?" he asked wanting to clarify himself.  

"I am, but how do you know that?" Hitomi asked taking a small step back from the "stranger" she had just met.  Although the man seemed pleasant enough, she was starting to get a little worried.  How did he know who she was?

"Don't you remember me?" Van asked her softly, hurt that she had forgotten him.

"I don't think so," Hitomi responded slowly.  She knew in her heart that it was a lie though.  From the moment he kissed her hand and told her his name, she felt this man was familiar.  Yet, a part of her was scared.  But why?  This man seemed harmless despite the fact he carried a weapon slung at his hip.  He even seemed hurt that she had forgotten him.  Who was this man?

"I see," Van said resigned.  His trip to the Mystic Moon had confirmed his worst fears; Hitomi didn't love him or even care for him. 

Hitomi felt guilty for causing this man obvious pain and something inside of her wanted to ease the pain she was causing him unintentionally.

"Maybe you can refresh my memory," Hitomi suggested hopefully with a small smile.  The look he sent her however told her otherwise.  However she persisted.  "Well come on, at least give it a shot," she pleaded with a cute pout earning a small smile.

Although Van was hurt, he couldn't resist smiling at Hitomi's childish action.  "We met seven years ago," he began to explain looking away from her face.  

"Seven years is a long time," Hitomi said softly trying to explain.  But her words made Van wince as if she had slapped him.  "Apparently it is," he said in a harsh tone.

Hitomi lowered her head, hurt by his cruel tone.  Van noticed and apologize, "I'm sorry.  It's just…" he started to explain but instead let the words just hang in the air.

Hitomi felt sorry for the man and wished she could remember.  But the harder she tried, the more fearful she became.  "Where are you from?" Hitomi asked breaking the silence.  Van gave her a rueful smile before answering.  "Fanelia."

"Fanelia," Hitomi gasped, "that's impossible!"  Her eyes became clouded and her face paled.  

"Hitomi?" Van questioned.  Her sudden chance in appearance from slightly confused to haunted unnerved him.  Did she truly not remember him or any of her time of Gaea?

"That place doesn't exist; it isn't real," she said unconvincingly as she looked up into Van's eyes.

"Hitomi?" Van repeated unsure of what exactly was wrong with the young woman before him.  Suddenly Hitomi closed her eyes, and Van watched in confusion as her shoulders began to shake slowly at first then with more emotion.

"Hitomi?" Van repeated once again this time frantically.  Hitomi's eyes snapped open, and Van saw the tears they held.  

"This can't be happening," Hitomi said to herself as the tears began to make their way down her face, where the dripped of jaw line one by one.  Van reached a hand out to draw her closer to his body.  

Hitomi batted his hand away and screamed at him.  "You aren't real!" she cried out in-between sobs closing her eyes again.  

"Look at me Hitomi," Van commanded gently.  Obviously there was more to the situation then he realized.  "I said, look at me," he repeated in a slightly firmer tone.  She obeyed and looked at the man; her green eyes fearful and full of pain.

"I am real," he said slowly.  Hitomi shook her head no.  Frustrated Van grabbed her arms; Hitomi struggled against his tight grip, but he refused to release her.  "How can I not be real, when I can touch you like I am?" he asked desperately trying to convince her.  

"I don't know," Hitomi confessed quietly as she stopped struggling.  Van sighed and his anger slowly evaporated; she looked so confused.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to do that," he apologized as he let go of her arms. Hitomi didn't respond.  Van looked her over to see why.  Her eyes were cast downward, lips tightly pushed together and the rest of her body was slumped slightly in a defeated posture.  

Hitomi didn't even hear Van's apology, so many thoughts were running through her head.  Was she hallucinating?  Maybe she was dreaming and then she would wake up and forget this ever happened.  But how could a dream or even a hallucination feel so real?  Was this real?  And if it wasn't, why did it feel so right?  If this was real, was the stuff she imagined seven years ago real as well?  All the thoughts swimming around in her head was giving Hitomi a headache.  It didn't help that she was feeling a little faint as well.

Van watched silently as many emotions raged within his old beloved's eyes.  A part of him, wished to know what had her thinking about so hard that she was ignoring everything else.  Another part just wished that she would snap out of her trance-like state.  

Then he watched in surprise as two more tears escaped from her eyes before she closed them and her body started to fall. Immediately his arms snaked out to catch her. He caught her body in his arms easily, and he gazed down to look at her. 

Hitomi appeared to be more relaxed and at ease now that she had fainted; the tension had left her body and a trace of a smile resided on her face. And truth be told, Van could get use to this. He didn't mind being able to hold her in his arms; it gave him a comfortable feeling.

However, he was worried about why she just passed out like that.  It wasn't that hot out.  In fact, a gentle wind blew in the air; tossing loose strands of hair across the unconscious Hitomi's face and ruffled Van's chocolate locks.

Van rose gracefully to his feet, holding his long lost love bridal style. He then began to walk to the fence that encaged the area.  After shutting the gate behind him, Van looked around for a place where he could set Hitomi down and wait for her to regain consciousness.  He spotted a tall tree fifty feet away; slowly he headed over there, shifting the weight in his arms slightly every now and then.  

Entering the tree's shade, he gently set Hitomi down on the grass.  He sat next to her and leaned against the trunk of the tall oak tree.  He would wait until she awoke.  'Soon,' Van thought as he looked beside him to where the sleeping body of Hitomi laid.  'Soon I'll have the answers that I've had waited for so long to hear.'

-End of Chapter-

Please send a review and tell me what you think!

****


	6. Reflections

First off… I LIVE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anywayz explanations for the extreme delay on posting the chapter are at bottom along with thank-yous.

DISCLAIMER: I don't a computer that is smart enough to not download viruses much less Escaflowne…

~LAST TIME

Van watched silently as many emotions raged within his old beloved's eyes. A part of him, wished to know what had her thinking about so hard that she was ignoring everything else. Another part just wished that she would snap out of her trance-like state. 

Then he watched in surprise as two more tears escaped from her eyes before she closed them and her body started to fall. Immediately his arms snaked out to catch her. He caught her body in his arms easily, and he gazed down to look at her. 

Hitomi appeared to be more relaxed and at ease now that she had fainted; the tension had left her body and a trace of a smile resided on her face. And truth be told, Van could get use to this. He didn't mind being able to hold her in his arms; it gave him a comfortable feeling.

However, he was worried about why she just passed out like that. It wasn't that hot out. In fact, a gentle wind blew in the air; tossing loose strands of hair across the unconscious Hitomi's face and ruffled Van's chocolate locks.

Van rose gracefully to his feet, holding his long lost love bridal style. He then began to walk to the fence that encaged the area. After shutting the gate behind him, Van looked around for a place where he could set Hitomi down and wait for her to regain consciousness. He spotted a tall tree fifty feet away; slowly he headed over there, shifting the weight in his arms slightly every now and then. 

Entering the tree's shade, he gently set Hitomi down on the grass. He sat next to her and leaned against the trunk of the tall oak tree. He would wait until she awoke. 'Soon,' Van thought as he looked beside him to where the sleeping body of Hitomi laid. 'Soon I'll have the answers that I've had waited for so long to hear.'

END OF CHAPTER~

~Reflections~

Leaning against the thick tree trunk, Van sat restlessly.  While he continued to wait for Hitomi to wake up, the Fanelian monarch absentmindedly fixed his gaze at the sky.  

A few white feathery clouds decorated the sky, passing overhead at a slow leisurely pace.  The bright sun, occasionally dimmed by a cloud or two, was slowly making its way across the sky as well: currently nearing the center of the blue ocean above.  'Another hour and it will reach its peak,' Van guessed as he looked at the yellow fireball, 'I haven't been here too long.'

Yet, despite that knowledge, Van could already feel his impatient side grow restless and irritated at the fact that although Hitomi lay next to him, he still couldn't get the answers he sought; his impatient side wanted to shake Hitomi awake and demand her to answer his questions.  Truth be told, Van was a little envious that Hitomi could rest so soundly while he sat beside her on the brink of torment.  

Luckily, his other side, the rational side, realized that Hitomi didn't need a rude awakening after going through the shock of seeing him again.  In fact, Van wondered once more if there was more to it than shock; Hitomi looked downright frightened after the moment of recognition passed in her eyes.  'But why?  Why would she be scared of me?  I would never hurt her,' Van pondered silently as he turned his head downward to stare at his sleeping companion, something he had been doing periodically while he waited for her to regain consciousness.  

She looked tranquil as she slept: no longer tense and scared, as she had been earlier.  Van moved some hair that fallen inaptly across her once pale face, which the color had already returned to her cheeks.  'She should wake up soon,' Van guessed as he looked back on the place where he had met Hitomi.  

When he was here the first time, he was battling a dragon and was too focused on his task to pay attention to the surroundings; the second time, he had come to bring Hitomi back with him to Gaea.  Van closed his eyes as if pained by the tender memory.  "And here I am again, this time to figure out what I am to do concerning you, Hitomi," Van said aloud, thinking how cynical fate always seemed to be mocking him.  

His bitterness formed into a grim smile as he opened his eyes to look down at the sleeping form of Hitomi.  "Why can't I get you out of my head?" he asked the sleeping woman who responded by continuing to doze.  "And why is there a part of me that never wants to?" he continued as he stared at the girl he had met so many years before.  

Van let out a frustrated sigh and forced himself to tear his eyes away from Hitomi.  'It's not possible for me to feel this strongly about someone,' he reasoned to himself.  'At least not someone who I haven't seen in six years,' he amended, "Yet..." he said aloud. 

"Mmmm" a voice responded.

Van nearly jumped as he heard the sound.  He swung his head back down to look at where the sound originated, Hitomi.  His eyes widen marginally as he realized Hitomi was waking up.

Hitomi could feel herself as she began to approach the edge of consciousness; it felt like something was dragging her there, a voice inside telling her that it was time to wake up.  She let out a groan.  She was so tired; she didn't want to wake up yet.  A louder voice kept saying something but in her current state of mind Hitomi couldn't make out the words, they sounded all mashed together: like gibberish.  Yet, she felt like the loud voice was talking to her and she was supposed to listen.  'But who's the person talking?' Hitomi wondered.  She let out a groan as she slipped closer and closer to reality. 

"Mmmm," Hitomi muttered incoherently once more as she started to stir.  Remaining in a sleepy, lethargic daze, she cracked open one eye to discover a sea of green.  'This isn't my bed,' she thought to herself slightly confused.  Startled at the realization, she immediately opened both her eyes to try to discover where she was exactly.  

"You're awake," a man's voice stated the obvious, causing the dazed Hitomi to bolt upright into a sitting position.  

In her slightly more alert state, Hitomi realized she was not alone.  In her confusion and growing panic about this new discovery, Hitomi quickly whipped her head around to identify the mysterious speaker behind her.  Her sudden action wasn't such a good idea Hitomi soon realized as she began to feel dizzy and a throbbing pain started in her head due to the unexpected whiplash.  Hitomi closed her eyes groaning at her own stupidity.  She placed a hand on her forehead in attempt to ease some of the pain.  

"Are you alright?" the voice asked with a hint of worry that Hitomi failed to notice.  Slowly this time, Hitomi opened her eyes and turned to look at the speaker.   

The first thing she noticed were the man's crimson-brown eyes that held an ocean of emotions.  The most obvious one was concern.  'Is he worried about me?' she wondered silently as she continued to stare into his eyes.  Something fluttered from within her body at the thought.  Yet, she pushed it aside as she began to search for what else might lay in the man's crimson pools.  

She felt like she could learn everything about the man just by gazing into his eyes: worry, confusion, and a hint of something else Hitomi couldn't identify for the moment.  The last emotion was hidden deep within his crimson orbs: unnoticeable at first glance and still unreadable at the second.  But what was it?  

It her determined curiosity Hitomi began to lean forward towards the man to get a better view.  What was hidden there behind there behind everything else?  Hitomi recognized it, but she couldn't identify what it was.  She saw the man fidget under her unwarranted inspection.  Then she realized something else; the man was about to look away and in doing so, he would break the link formed between them.  Without thinking about it, Hitomi raised a hand to prevent him from doing so.  

The moment the soft flesh of Hitomi's hand touched his cheek, Van closed his eyes and let out a small sigh.  It had been so long since they had lasted been each other presences, much less in physical contact.  

'Well besides holding her after she fainted suddenly, but that was more a situation of an accident and reflex action,' Van thought to himself, doing nothing to break the contact, even going so far as to allow Hitomi to turn his head back to her direction.  

After a few more moments of letting Hitomi's hand hold him, Van opened his eyes, the object of her perusal, to look at the one that had plagued his thoughts ever since her departure.  

Suddenly Van realized just how close together they were now.  Their faces resided just inches apart, causing Van to feel the old stirring of his love for her that never completely faded through time.  He shook his head free of her gentle grip as he remembered that she still hadn't bothered to remember him.  Her green eyes flickered with surprise at his action.  

"Oh Van," she said in sad voice.

"What, now you remember me?" Van asked her colder than he intended, earning a flinch from Hitomi.  

"Yes," she answered in a broken whisper, looking away from his cold gaze.  His eyes were clouded over now, to the point all she could see was the icy glare he shot at her.  

Hitomi's soft answered surprised and confused him.  What game was she trying to play with him?  At first, she acted afraid now she acted sad and full of despair.  Refusing to give out his sympathy so willingly this time around, he reacted with a sharp retort.  

"Well then I guess I should feel so honored that you decided to give me the privilege of being remembered now."  Each word dripped with sarcasm, exposing his anger.  Inside, Van was hurt that Hitomi constantly plagued his thoughts while he was just a faint memory in her mind.

Hitomi snatched her hand back; the tears threatening to fall from her eyes made Van immediately regret his harsh words.  "It's not my fault," she snapped back.  

Sympathy put aside, Van rose to the challenge and fought back.  "Isn't it?" he sneered leaning closer to her face, wanting to read the expression that would cross it. 

Hitomi's eyes widened before they narrowed at the man before her.  She spent two years, two long cold, lonely years with people convincing her that the man before her didn't exist.  Then the man that may or may not exist comes back into her life years later and had the nerve to tell her that it was her fault!  Hitomi raised her hand and slapped him soundly across his left cheek.  

The tears that her eye had previously been holding back began to fall; each running the downward journey down from her eyes across her cheeks, where they dripped from her jaw line one by one.  She stood there, sitting quietly as the tears ran across her cheeks.  Then she spoke in a pained voice, whispering words that Van nearly missed, "What would you now about it?"

Meanwhile, Van stood there in shock.  It wasn't the first time he had been slapped by Hitomi.  In fact, it had happened a couple times before, when he had spoken harshly or rudely to her.  But anger quickly smothered his disbelief as he caught the words she spoke.  Although she was speaking most likely to herself, it didn't matter to Van.  Her words struck a chord within him harder than she probably would ever know.  

"What would **I know about it?" he asked her with a sneer.  "I know that at the first chance you got, you put behind what we went through.  I know that you decided that I was not worth remembering.  I know that because of that, you forgot all about me.  Until now that is.  Because I decided to show up in your life again.  So what, did I ruin your plans of dismissing me for good?"**

"You know nothing about it," she told him back, the tears streaming.  Her head was hurting from all the memories she had buried that were now resurfacing in waves that threatened to pull her under.  Flashes of men dying, being torn to shreds inside their Guymelefs which enclosed them like a tomb; the smell of fire when Fanelia was set aflame, the pain when Van told her that he just wanted her solely for her power.  

She clutched her hand into a fist as all the old wounds opened again.  Truth be told, they had never closed, never had been given a chance to heal.  Instead, they had been buried with all her other memories of events that took place on Gaea.  

"You couldn't know what I went through," she responded through clenched teeth.  She was in excruciating pain.  The imagines kept rushing her mind with full force.  Her head felt like it was going to split in two.

Van didn't notice her agony as he continued the debate.  "Well, I'll tell you what I went through.  I had to rebuild a country alone.  I had to unite its former inhabitants alone.  I had to bury all the people who died in the war, like Balgus, alone.  And that was just for the first six months!"  He saw her turn her head away from his accusing eyes, but he wouldn't allow it.  He yanked her chin to direct her eyes back upon himself as he continued his angry tirade.  

"Then I had to assure everyone that something like the war would never occur again by finding a different way to sign the peace treaty.  Because of the way the former nations of Ziebach arranged it, I would be wed to one of the leaders' eldest unwed daughters.  Because I had this crazy notion that you actually cared for me, I had to work around it!" he ended with a shout.

While Van paused to catch his breath in attempt to calm himself down, Hitomi snapped.  Jerking her chin away from his hold, she began her rebuttal of his condemning words.  "Well, guess what, Van?  You're not the only one who faced opposition.  Faced it alone I might add!  I had everyone around me thinking that I was crazy.  Not one person believed that I went to Gaea.  In fact, the only one who believed that I was even sane was my father!  And he's gone forever!" she shouted.  She had more to say, but she chocked on her sob.  She remembered the night her father was put to rest vividly.  

_She ran out to the track to get away from the oppression the death of her father brought.  The sadness in the house was too overwhelming.  Once she arrived at the track, she sank to knees in despair._  

But here the memory was hazy.  She could remember someone comforting her, but not their face.  Who was it?  Caught up in her heartbreaking reverie, Hitomi forgot about the argument she was currently involved in and even Van, who sat next to her waiting for her to continue.

Van knew he had hurt her deeply when she actually spoke about her father.  He knew how much her father meant to Hitomi.  He remembered the night her father died.  It was the last time they had spoken.  

"Hitomi," Van said to her, softly breaking the uncomfortable silence.  He reached out to her, but she back away from him.  

"Why must it always hurt?" she asked, looking up at him with her jade eyes that held such infinite sorrow.  The expression made Van wish he had never come back.  'If I hadn't of come back, then she wouldn't be in such pain,' he reasoned in his mind.  

"No more Van," she said shaking her head before turning to run away from him.  The pain in her head as well as her heart blinded her from seeing what was coming next.  

Her head, muddled with confusion, throbbed severally as she sprinted away from Van.  Away from the feelings of pain and heartache.  Yet, there was always pain.  No matter how many times she ran from it, the pain always followed her.  

As she crossed the street, she didn't think to pause to see what was coming.  Instead she kept on running… right into the path of an oncoming car.  It happened so fast, Hitomi was caught off guard.  A flash of red and the sound of a blasting car horn were the only warnings she received before she rose off the ground, into the air, and then upon the hood of the oncoming car. 

Its tires screeched to a halt, and Hitomi dimly felt herself slid off the hood back to the pavement below.  There were sounds echoing around her, but they were muffled once more.  The pain was beginning to dim her senses.  Her whole body ached.  Hitomi just wanted it to go away.  Why wouldn't it just leave her alone?  Then she saw the approaching darkness.  She opened her arms to welcome it, praying for a release from the pain that kept her immobile.

Van watched transfixed as a machine of some kind struck Hitomi, causing her to roll unto the beast, before falling unto the ground.  "No," he whispered as if that one word could change the horror he just witnessed.  It seemed too unreal to be true.  Hitomi just lay on the ground bleeding, staining the ground she lay on with her crimson life-blood.  The rich crimson blood that poured forth from her motionless body wasn't even the worst of it.  The worst part was, Hitomi didn't appear to be moving, or look like she ever would in the future.

The driver of the car got out in a panic.  He hadn't meant to hit the girl.  She had appeared out of nowhere, not bothering looking across the street before darting out in front of him.  Going to the front-end of the car, he looked in horror and saw a young woman laying still, bleeding profusely on the ground.  He looked around helpless.  He spotted a young man standing near the side of the road, mouth agape in disbelief as he stared at the girl who he had run into.  

~End of Chapter~

Ok I won't draw out my explanation more than necessary because u people, if ur still reading this story, might already want to kill me.

EXPLANATION:

1. The Demonic Torture Building for Young Adults (high school) began once again.

If that wasn't bad enough

2. Computer started acting up AGAIN to the point I couldn't even turn it on

If that wasn't bad enough

3. Computer downloaded a virus and fried itself.

If that wasn't bad enough

4. I lost the entire story

HOWEVER

Lady Laran kept an old copy of the new chapter (this one) and was able to send to me when my family purchased a new computer.

As for the chapter itself I figured I needed a cliffy to draw readers back that and I **NEED READER RESPONSES!!!!!!!!!!!!  AND THEY WORK TOO, cause LPDramaBabe sent me one telling me to "get your butt movin" just a couple days ago and here it is.  SO PLEASE REVIEW!**

Anywayz here's the thank-yous to those who were kind enough to leave a message'

Inda -  See I made Hitomi remember in this lil chappy. Of course the memories are overwhelming her, but she'll sorta out with Van's help ^_~ (Please keep review for me ~using puppy dog eyes here so don't be mean~ )

LPDramaBabe – Thanks gurl for getting me going.  I just KNOW u "LOVED" the cliffy I left off on…. AHHH Don't Kill ME ~runs away~

Krynns-kender – I don't think I've heard from u before, but I hope to keep hearing from u in later chapters.  Hey, if got any Esca fics let me know cause I love to check 'em out. ^_^

Lady Laran – Thank you so much for your constant help.  This story would be lost without you. (Both literally and figuratively)  But hey that's why ur the best beta around ^_^

Everyone scroll down

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**…Please?  (he he I like brainwashing ^_~)**


	7. Repercussions

HERRREEEEEEEEE'S ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm FINALLY back!  I'll keep this note short so y'all can get to the chapter, but I gotta say THAT'S THE MOST REVIEWS I HAVE EVER GOTTEN FOR ONE CHAPTER!!!!! Maybe I should try that more often… ~sees an angry mob forming~ maybe not ~hides crossed fingers behind back~ I'm not a chronic liar either I swear…

Disclaimer: Let me say this very slowly so everyone gets it.  

I    

Do   

Not 

Own

Escaflowne!  (man that was hard to say)

LAST TIME~

Van watched transfixed as a machine of some kind struck Hitomi, causing her to roll unto the beast, before falling unto the ground.  "No," he whispered as if that one word could change the horror he just witnessed.  It seemed too unreal to be true.  Hitomi just lay on the ground bleeding, staining the ground she lay on with her crimson life-blood.  The rich crimson blood that poured forth from her motionless body wasn't even the worst of it.  The worst part was, Hitomi didn't appear to be moving, or look like she ever would in the future.

The driver of the car got out in a panic.  He hadn't meant to hit the girl.  She had appeared out of nowhere, not bothering looking across the street before darting out in front of him.  Going to the front-end of the car, he looked in horror and saw a young woman laying still, bleeding profusely on the ground.  He looked around helplessly.  He spotted a young man standing near the side of the road, mouth agape in disbelief as he stared at the girl who he had run into.  

~End of Chapter~

~Chapter Six~

~Repercussions~

Both men seemed frozen with disbelief with the events that just transpired in the last few minutes.  Van awoke from his daze first and rushed towards Hitomi's side.  He kneeled down into a pool of her blood in a desperate attempt to find some tangible evidence that Hitomi was still alive despite her inert state.  

He visibly paled as he glanced at her once beautiful face.  Blood had splattered in small droplets on her face.  The skin was already starting to turn shades of blue on the right side of her face around her eye and cheek where she most likely struck the machine.  He doubted that she would ever be the same after this.  But Van's real concern lay if she would even survive this encounter.  

Pushing aside the condition of her face, he checked to see if she was still breathing.  Small movements of the rise and fall of her chest let him know she was causing Van to sigh in obvious relief.  Yet he noticed her breathing was extremely faint.  _'But for now she is still with me,' _Van thought.  

"I-is s-she st-still alive?" a panicked voice asked stuttering with fear.  Van looked behind him confused.  When he identified the stuttering man as the one from inside the beast, he recognized him as the cause of this ghastly event.  Fury rose within his chest.  Hitomi lay injured, close to dying because of this man.  His fist tightened as tried to contain the rage that threatened to overwhelm him. _ 'Hitomi is hurt because of him,' _a voice began to echo inside his head.  

"I-is she?" the voice asked.  Van couldn't speak unless he wished to risk releasing the mounting fury inside of him.  Instead, he shot the man a glare condemning him for his inadvertent actions.  The man winced and took a step back from Van's angry glare.  Van saw, but he refused to feel too much sympathy for him.  He hurt Hitomi.

"Yes, she is," Van finally growled out looking back at his former beloved.  _'Please Hitomi don't leave me again,' _he begged her in his mind.  "She needs a healer if she going to…" Van paused not wishing to complete that thought.  He took in a deep breath to compose himself and to put his frantic, worry-based emotions aside.  He let it back out before speaking again.  "She needs a healer," he said with a dry, unwavering monotone leaving it at that.  

"A h-h-healer," the stammering man asked confused.  _'So much for keeping my emotions at bay,' _Van thought.  He felt as if he was about to snap; the man was pushing him to the limits of his sanity.  _'How could he not know what a healer is?' _Van thought.  It didn't ease any matters that he felt he had become Fate's plaything.  At the moment he felt overwhelmed: friends around him kept moseying into his private life, or lack thereof; after that he worked up the courage to see the girl he's missed and thought about everyday since her departure only to see her and have her faint; then, when she finally wakes up they fight causing her to run off and get seriously injured.  

"A doctor," the other man shouted out finally in realization interrupting Van's mental rant.  Now it was Van's turn to be confused.  _'What's a dock-ter?' _Van wondered.  Curious and slightly wary, he watched as the man race to the machine that had wounded Hitomi.  Suspicious about the man's intentions he pivoted around to crouch between the machine and Hitomi's body with his hand on the hilt of his sword ready to be drawn if the man or the machine, for that matter, attempted to attack Hitomi again.  

However, his provision of a shield was unnecessary, for the man only reached into the machine to pull out a small device.  Van cocked an eyebrow wondering what in the name of Gaea the man was planning to do.  

"I'm getting help," the man replied to his unvoiced question as he started poking the small device.  Meanwhile Van remained watching with wary eyes.  

"You have to help me," the man blurted out into the small device.  "This girl," he started to say talking to the gadget.  "She just…" he broke off as he looked at the injured body of Hitomi.  "Oh my god… please just send someone," he continued after turning away from the sight.  

Van shook his head in anger.  _'I need someone to help me and the Fates instead decide to pair me with a crazy man who pokes small devices and then talks to them,' _Van thought bitterly.  

He turned away from the eccentric sight and tuned the man out to concentrate once again on Hitomi.  He rolled her off her side unto her back to exam for injuries.  He looked at the blood that was coming from the area around her waist.  _'Well I found the major injury.'_  Blood had already seeped through her clothes, staining her former light green shirt into a deep crimson color.  He needed to stop the bleeding.  

_'I wish Millerna was here,'_ Van thought examining the massive damage that was done.  The blonde healer had proven her extraordinary ability in the past and he knew that if anyone could, she could heal Hitomi.  "But she's not here," he said inaudibly, "it's only me."  He didn't feel a man who talked to himself would count as much help.  _'Then again so was I just a few seconds ago.' _

"Help is on the way," the man said to Van as he squatted beside him.  Van surprised by the unexpected bold declaration looked over at the man in shock.  Van opened his mouth to ask him how he was so certain yet the look of absolute horror on the other man's face stopped him.  The other man was focused on Hitomi eyeing her bloodstained waist with surprised terror.  "There's so much blood," he whispered before darting away.  

Van would have gone after him to make sure he wouldn't escape before facing punishment for his actions however, the man had a valid point.  There was a lot of blood, which brought him back to the issue of stopping it.  

He took off his shirt (AN just remember it's bad to get drool on the computer so drool responsibly ladies ^_~  Anywayz…)  He took off his shirt, folding it over to make it into a small square.  After examining Hitomi to make sure there weren't any more severe wounds, he placed the cloth on the one he noticed earlier, the abrasion on her low stomach around her waist.  After placing the folded shirt over the wound, he applied pressure to stop the extensive bleeding.  

_'Arden is going to throw a fit when he finds out I went out and destroyed the custom made clothes that took an eternity to force me into,' _Van thought with a grim smile.  _'I just hope this works.'_  Van cringed as he heard the sound of the other man throwing up in the ditch.  He almost felt a small amount of pity for the man.  Almost.  The anger and fear he felt allowed no extra room for pity.  

For each moment that passed as he sat there, his mind began to race with the gruesome possibilities about all the things that could go wrong from here.  Flashes of the lonely life he lived in the past seven years without Hitomi would continue.  He knew those days of desolation and solitude lay ahead of him if Hitomi died.  Then the image of being forced to bury Hitomi like he did the body of his former guard and mentor Balgus caused him to knit his eyebrows together in determination.  He couldn't let Hitomi die, not Hitomi: not after he finally worked up the courage to see her.  Especially not after their parting with such bitter and spiteful words.  

_'It's my fault,' _he thought with abrupt realization._  'After all, I was the reason she was running away.  I was the reason she was too blind to notice the beast as it raced along the path.  I'm the reason she's hurt.'_  Van felt guiltier as each new thought hit him.  _'It is my fault…'  _He looked down on Hitomi's lifeless body._  'Oh Hitomi, what have I done to you?'_

A loud siren wailed in the distance brought Van back to reality though still in a slightly depressed state.  _'What does the sound mean,' _Van wondered as he heard the wailing grew louder.  He glanced at the man who struck Hitomi with his machine.  He had finally crawling out of the ditch where he previously vomiting.  Van noticed he too was awaiting the sirens.  

Van worriedly glanced at Hitomi's wound.  His shirt was soaking with her blood.  A part of Van wanted to go over and heave up his food like the man had done.  But he knew he couldn't leave Hitomi.  Not again.  He never wanted to do it again.  He never wanted her to leave him either.  _'Please Hitomi I beg you, don't die on me,' _Van thought helplessly.  

"The ambulance!" the man shouted allowing Van to be brought to reality once more.  __

_'Ambue-lence?' _Van thought confused, _'what is the man talking about now?'_  He followed the man's line of sight to try to figure out what in the name of Gaea he was babbling about now.

A white machine, larger than the one that hit Hitomi, came into view as it sped down the smooth stone path towards the first machine; as it did so sirens loudly wailed in all their glory as well as lights perched on top of the machine proudly displayed their colors of blue and red in a spinning fashion.  

_'Does this demon intend to attack Hitomi as well,' _Van wondered fearing the worst.Van wasn't sure what to do.  He didn't want to risk Hitomi to be struck by another beast, but he couldn't rise up and protect her because he knew that he needed to place continuing pressure on the wound.  _'What should I do?'_' he asked himself.  Looking up he saw the white box-shaped fiend slowing down as it neared closer to where he was.  Deciding to stay beside Hitomi's side, Van carefully watched the loud wailing beast as it slowed to a haste stop next to him.  Men jumped forth from the beast, one from the front and another from its backend, the one from the front circled around to help the other in the back carry out a long mat.  Working together to carry the mat, the two men approached his place beside the injured seer.  The one coming from the front was the shorter of the two but appeared to the elder.  

"Stand back," one of the two men from the new beast commanded, "we'll take it from here."  Van looked at the man with the authoritative voice; he was the one originally from the back.  He was tall and lean, in a similar manner to Van, but his brown with bright yellow tipped hair set him apart.  They sat down the mat across from Van on the other side of Hitomi.  Then the taller one ran back to the beast.  Meanwhile the other man who approached had bent down on the opposite side of Van to look at the bleeding Hitomi.  

"Sanders," he called after examining Hitomi's wounded body, "we got to hurry here.  She's losing blood rapidly; we don't have much time."  Startled by the man's words Van turned to look at Hitomi.  The man was right.  The blood was already beginning to seep through his white shirt in small places.  

"W-will s-she b-b-b-b-e ok-kay?" a fearful, trembling voice fearfully asked.  The voice came from none other than the man with struck Hitomi with his beast.  Although Van reviled the man for striking Hitomi, he couldn't help but feel gratitude to him for voicing the question.****Van was still fazing in and out between a sense of disbelief toward the situation and an awful apprehension to what was taking place around him, left him unable to risk asking the question himself and find out that this wasn't just a horrid nightmare.  When the man kneeled beside Hitomi hesitated to answer, the taller one, Sanders as he was called, came rushing back with a package stepped in to ease the man's fears.  

He motioned for Van to step back from Hitomi and took Van's former place beside her.  He removed the blemished white shirt Van had placed on her wound to stop the bleeding by tossing it aside.  "She has a high chance of survival," he said after examining the major wounds in Hitomi's frail looking body.  He then motioned for the elder man to bandage Hitomi properly.

Despite how much Van wished to believe the man he couldn't.  "She's lost so much blood…" he finally spoke, standing behind the man as he continued to look at the blood stained shirt that had been tossed aside.  The verbal leader followed Van's gaze toward the shirt before making eye contact.  "You saved her life by using that shirt to slow the bleeding.  Because of your actions, she will most likely survive," he told Van.  

Breaking eye contact with Van, Sanders looked to his companion.  "On three," he said, "one, two, three," he continued moving Hitomi up on the mat on the word three.  "And one, two, three," he said again, on three the men began to carry Hitomi's limp body to the back of the beast and laid her inside.  The shorter man ran to the front, while Van and the blonde-tipped boy remained behind the machine.  "You know this woman, correct?" he asked Van.  The solemn King nodded.  "Alright you can hop in then with me," the young healer said climbing into the bowels of the machine.  Van still didn't fully trust them, but he didn't wish to be separated from Hitomi so he followed the man climbing into the foreign contraption.  

Sanders motioned for Van to sit on a bench inside the machine.  "Hold on," the man from the front called.  Confused, Van looked at lanky man in the back with him.  Before the man could answer Van's unvoiced question, there was a roaring sound instigating the beast to life.  As the beast began to move, Van practically fell off his seat.  "I tried to warn you," the older man from the front called back to him.  Scowling, Van straightened himself.

The ride over was a bumpy one with a tense air filling the small area within the contraption.  Van still agitated about Hitomi's condition couldn't relax.  He sat back stiffly and watched as Sanders worked on Hitomi.  "How much longer?" Sanders called to the front through a small weaved metal window.  

"Four minutes more," a voice called back.  Sanders gave a nod that the driver couldn't see and turned to Van.  "You got a name?" Sanders asked.  "Van Slanzar de Fanel," Van told him without taking his eyes off Hitomi.  "Well that's a mouthful," he replied trying to earn a smile.  He failed.  "I'm Akio Sanders, most people me San or Sanders.  Now, Van I need some basic information about this girl," Sanders said the last part slowly as if speaking to a small child.  

Van, preoccupied with Hitomi, didn't notice his tone.  "Shouldn't you be helping her?" Van managed to ask tearing his eyes off Hitomi to look back at the young man.  

"She's stable for now meaning she's ok.  I've done all I can for her with the equipment available.  When we arrive at the hospital, more will be done for her.  Right now I need you to tell me general background information so we can get a hold of her family," Sanders explained.  Van managed to nod.  "Good.  But first tell me what took place this afternoon," Sanders told him.  

The first thing that came to Van's mind was the fight between Hitomi and himself.  Noticing the look of despair that crossed the young man's face, Sanders spoke up again, "how about we just start with things like her name and address ext.  Ok?"  Van nodded relieved.  "Her name is Hitomi…" Van trailed off.  _'What if she was married now?' _ The thought suddenly struck Van unprepared.  _'Sure, I thought about the possibility when I went over probable reasons for the break in communication.  But where does that leave me if it's true?' _

"Van?" Sanders questioned returning Van into the realm of reality.  "Kanzaki," Van finished, "well that's her maiden last name at least.  I-I don't know if she got married in between the time we last spoke."  

"Not likely," Sanders responded causing Van's head to snap up in surprise.  "No wedding ring," he explained, "do you happen to know her current age?"  

Van tried to push back the feeling of overwhelming happiness at the fact she wasn't married meaning he still had a chance in order to answer.  "Twenty-two" he finally was able to respond before spacing off once more his mind going in a million directions at once.  Sanders merely cocked an eyebrow at his delayed response before continuing his questioning.  "Living family members?"  

"Last time we spoke, five years ago, her only remaining family was her mother and younger brother."  Sanders nodded as he wrote the information down.  "Current home address?" he asked next.  "I don't know," Van told him.  Sanders nodded again.  Then he paused a moment and sighed.  Setting down the writing utensil, he looked at Van.  "Van I really need to know how Hitomi got hurt."  Using his blue eyes to pin down Van's hesitant ruby-chocolate ones, Sanders waited to continue until after he gained Van's attention.  "I need you to tell me what happened this afternoon."  

~~~I WAS SOOOOOOOO TEMPTED TO STOP IT HERE BUT AFTER THE RESPONSES I GOT LAST TIME I WON'T~~~~~~~

The happy butterflies that had filled Van's stomach at the revelation of Hitomi's availability dissolved into a knot of dread at Akio's words.  "Why?" he managed to get past his constricting and suddenly dry throat.  

"Several reasons.  First, you'll feel better if you get it off your chest.  Second, and most importantly, it's critical for Hitomi's treatment," Sanders told him.  There were more reasons though.  One of which was the fact that several witnesses who were friends/family of the victim tended to go into shock and from there slipped into a state of denial if they didn't talk about the incident.

"I thought you said she was stable!" Van shouted at Akio interrupting his thoughts.  Startled by the shout Akio drew away from his muses, drawn by the high level of concern he heard in Van's voice for Hitomi's safety.  It was clear to Akio that the upcoming period was going to be rough of Van.  '_Maybe I should find a name of a therapy group he can join,' _Sanders thought to himself slightly concerned for Van's well-being. Meanwhile Van had his focus back on Hitomi, searching for fatal injuries.  

"Van," Sanders said in a calm that Van couldn't feel, "she is stable, but in order to know the extent of her injuries I need to know what took place."  

Van nodded tentatively and closed his eyes.  He took a deep breath letting the air out in a sigh before opening his eyes.  "We," Van began.  

"Who's we?" Akio interrupted.  He needed to know all the facts in this case.  In plus, Van would most likely have to answer these questions again with the police. 

"Hitomi and I," Van answered.  Akio nodded, gesturing for Van to continue as he bent his head down to write the information on a small pad of paper.  "Well we got into a fight," he started once again.  At this Akio's head snapped up; his eyes boring into Van's.  "Did you hit her?" he asked.  Upon meeting Van, he found the man harmless enough, but there was a chance he was wrong.

Van's eyes widen at the outrageous accusation.  "Of course not!  I would never hurt her!" he shouted.  

Akio searched Van's face to see if he was lying.  Van appeared to be sincere with his declaration.  In fact, Van seemed angry that he suggested the idea.  

"You guys got about a minute or so left," a gruff voice from the front called breaking the two men from their staring contest.  

"Ok you two fought, then what happened?" Sanders asked.  He watched as Van grew uncomfortable and slightly agitated.  Setting down his pen, he turned all of his attention to study Van.  '_Maybe I was wrong.  Maybe Van was lying,'_ Akio wondered.  

Van fidgeted under Sander's intense gaze as well as his own feelings of guilt and shame.  _'I said I would never hurt her, yet I still made her run into the beast's path.'  _Van gaze shifted from the intense look from Akio's blue eyes to Hitomi's lifeless body, '_oh Hitomi, am I really just some lying hypocrite?'  _

"Van?"  

The man in question raised up his head to look at Akio.  His auburn eyes looked despaired as if he hadn't a friend in the world.  "What happened next?" Akio asked softly, careful not to cause any more damage to the emotionally scarred man before him.  

"She ran away from me," Van said equally softly.  He forced a swallow before continuing the next part in an even softer tone that Akio strained to hear.  "She ran right into the path of the beast."  

"The beast?" Akio asked slightly confused, from the way Van said it, it sounded more literal than metaphorical.  Van didn't answer him; instead, he looked at Hitomi.  

Moving slowly he got off his seat on the bench and knelt beside Hitomi.  "I'm sorry Hitomi.  I am so sorry for everything," Van apologized shutting out everything but Hitomi.  Focusing on her pale face, he watched for some evidence that she heard his heartfelt apology.  Her eyes remained closed; her lips still parted slightly taking in a light breath periodically gave Van no reply.  "Hitomi," he said reaching out a shaking hand to brush Hitomi's pale cheek.  

Before he could make contact, a sharp turn sent him into the side of the bench.  Then as he was about to make an angry reply regarding the rough treatment, the beast lurched to an unexpected halt sending him flying forward.  

"Yeah, I guess I should of warned you to stay in your seat, but that apology seemed a little personal and I didn't want to interrupt," a voice drawled out with a trace of amusement at Van's expense.  Van response was a cold glare from his position on the floor.  The opening of the doors behind him was all that kept Van from a sharp retort possibly combine with a few colorfully words he picked up through the years since Hitomi's departure.  

"Stuff it you two.  We've got to get her moving," a curt voice ordered.  It was the short man from the front.  Sanders nodded his agreement and helped him carry Hitomi out of the machine on the mat.  "Follow us," Sanders shouted back to Van who remained in the ambulance uncertain of what to do.  

Van complied and quickly ambled out of the machine.  Lightly jogging he caught up to the two men carrying Hitomi.  Van didn't have much time to look around for most of his concentration was spent on staying with Hitomi who was being carried off at a fast pace.  From what he did see when he glimpsed around, Van discovered that he was underground, or at least close to it, in some sort of a stone building.  

Ahead of the group, doors opened and more people rushed out to assist them.  One woman began to walk by their side, while two other people remained holding open the doors for the group.  "Status," the woman beside them demanded as they entered through the doors.  

"Stable for now.  Hit by car.  Fractured ribs and concussion.  Possible internal bleeding," Sanders informed her.  

"Who's he?" she asked gesturing to Van after they cleared the doorway.  

"Friend of victim.  He witnessed the accident," Sanders answered.  The woman nodded.  "Alright.  Let's put her on a cart and get her to the Emergency Unit.  Gabriel, take him to the waiting room," she finished gesturing to one of the men who held the doors to take Van.  Gabriel grabbed Van's arm to lead him, but Van shook it off.  

"What about Hitomi?" he demanded as the group continued to hustle down the corridor.  

The woman stopped and turned.  She pursed her lips taking offense at his lack of faith in their abilities, but softened when she saw how worried Van was.  "We'll take care of her.  For now, you must follow Gabriel," she told him before hurrying to catch up to the group.  

"Come on.  You heard the lady, they're gonna take care of her," Gabriel told Van.  Van obeyed and followed the man.  "Did Akio or Eldon ask about the victim's family, current home address and that?" Gabriel asked.  

Van nodded silently.  "I didn't have all the answers though," Van confessed.  Gabriel cocked an eyebrow.  "Oh?"  

"It's been awhile since we had last spoken," Van explained as they walked along.  

"Hmm, I see.  So this was some sort of a reunion between you two?" Gabriel asked.  "Yeah," Van muttered bitterly.  "You sure have a devastating effect on people, you know that?" Gabriel remarked with a dry sense of humor to which Van responded with a swift glare stopping him in his tracks.  Gabriel winced at the look and held up his hands in defeat.  Satisfied at the submission, Van resumed walking.  Once Van walked past him, Gabriel let out a relieved sigh.  "Honestly, some people can't take a joke…" he mumbled before striding off to catch the brooding man ahead of him.  

~End of Chapter~

SHOUT-OUTS

THANKS FOR REVIEWING:

Krynns-kender – U realized my secret plot!?!?!?!? I mean no I don't like torturing readers… I swear… Come on u believe me don't u? -_- That was a rhetorical question; please don't answer.

The lady winged Knight – ShE IS ALiVe!!!!! (I feel like a mad scientist saying that…) Anywayz U put this in ur favorites?!?! ~screams~ U ROCK!  

Inda – I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY! (that good enough of an apology for you?) But I really am sorry about leaving the story for such a long time on a cliffy.  

Fluer21 – Thanks for the compliment! Sorry about taking so long to update, I had started this chapter along time ago but then I had some trouble with my POS (piece of "crap") computer which delayed me and then I acted like my procrastinating self and didn't finish the chapter.  ~grovels~ PLEASE FORGIVE ME

Jes – Ain't brainwashing great? (Ain't brainwashing great? Ain't brainwashing great? Ain't brainwashing great? Ain't brainwashing great?)

Mercury Hime – SEE! SEE! I CONTINUED! DON'T HATE ME!!!!  Yeah I'll admit that struggle with words I do.  BTW I am a true American, hence there will DEFINITELY be a happy ending for this story. 

Lady Laran – Thanks for the encouragement.  It means a lot coming from u.  Also thanks for sticking with me and all my "lovely" grammatical errors.

Adale – yeah sorry about the confusion.  I kinda changed it so that Merle is Van's surrogate sister.  He he I probably should told people, but it slipped my mind… a lot of things do that. J/K Anywayz please continue to point out things that slip my attention; it honestly helps a lot.

Avelyn Lauren – Yeah someone gets it!!!!!! ~cheers~ Captivating? ~looks surprised~ U really think so? ~holds up a victory sign~ Anywayz I was originally going to have Van meet Hitomi's mom in this chapter but it took so long just to put this bit up.  But I'm pretty sure that the confrontation will be in the next one.  and since u get that I get review-hungry can u send me another? ~insert puppy dog eyes complete with quivering lower lip~ I'LL TRY NOT TO TAKE SO LONG TOO!

I AM Hitomi-chan – PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!!! I WROTE MORE!!!!!!! SO PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! BTW I'm really not that nice (after all I have posted in forever…) BUT STILL DON'T HATE ME!

LPDramaBabe – Bonjour (Did I spell it right?) Anywayz U LITTLE LIAR!!!!! U ALREADY ARE INSANE SO HOW CAN I BE DRIVING U INSANE?!?!? Answer that one for me!  Oh well I s'ppose I could forgive u since u put the Crazy Rant in there.  Also, I love ur brainwashing.

Sahira – No, I'm not happy…. I'M UTTERLY ECSTATIC that u reviewed!!!!!!!!  Please don't leave me though; I honestly didn't mean to delay posting for so long….

Snow Mage – Don't worry I'm gonna finish this story; it just takes me awhile.  

Naria Anime – yeah I know, I'm still not sure where the whole car incident came from. But keep reading it will eventually get better.

Raigne – yeah sorry about the length.  Hopefully this one was longer.  As for the question about Amano and Yukari…. To be honest I'm not 100% sure yet.  Great point though, I hadn't really thought about it before.

Tearshappiness – Of course its evil! It came from ME after all.  

Chichiru – I'M SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really gonna try to update quicker next time.

ShadowedVengeance – LOL!!!! I luv ur review. 

I KNOW I'M MEAN BUT PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and forgive me)


	8. The Ripple Effect

A/N I'm extremely sorry this story took such a long time to post. (I meant to post this chapter months ago.) Unfortunately a writer's block with the ending along with little free time prevented me from posting. Hope you enjoy it. PS I also just learned about replying to reviewers comments so hopefully if you leave I comment I will be able to send you a thank-you directly. If I can't, I'll put a shout-out to you here. Enjoy!

Aan – Thanks for kindly asking for an update both times. Sometimes people can get impatient (such as myself) and be a little rude. So thanks. Also multiple reviews tend to reemphasize how long I'm taking.

Lady Laran – Thanks once again for an ego-boosting complement and thank you for always being there to help me out in the sporadic times I need it.

Inda – I wanted to thank you publicly because you are one of my biggest reviewers and someone who is constantly offering me encouragement. Thank you for that. I sincerely hope that my sporadic writing skills will never upset you to the point you leave because your reviews always keep me coming back to this story with a reaffirmed desire to finish it.

Kashikoi - Thanks for reviewing (I don't think I've seen a comment from you before). Also I wanted to let you know that unfortuantely the angst isn't going to end for either person any time soon. But trust me, I'm a firm believer in happy endings!

Disclaimer: I don't have enough free time to write let alone own Escaflowne!

* * *

The Ripple Effect

* * *

With downcast eyes, Van nervously paced across the dark blue carpet. A woman wearing what he now realized as a healer's uniform had approached him not four minutes earlier requesting him to take a seat. Yet, Van ignored her pleading, not out of defiance to her but because he was incapable of complying with her wishes. He was too worried and agitated to sit down. 

'_Please let her live,' _he thought desperately to himself as he continued to wear the carpet threads thinner and thinner with each passing. Ever since arriving in what Gabriel called a "waiting room" that was all he had been doing. Waiting. Just waiting as he kept clinging on desperately to the ridiculous hope that Hitomi would be fine and would walk into the room at any moment. But she hadn't. Each time he glanced up, he found healers running around helping other patients or their families.

'_Don't they realize how important Hitomi is? They should be helping **her**_!' He glanced at the gold watch, a birthday present from Merle, which hung near his waist; it had been nearly twenty-eight minutes and still he had received no update on Hitomi's condition. His hopes were dwindling.

"Sir," a voice beckoned.

'_What could be taking them so long?' _he wondered.

"Sir," a timorous voice called again.

'_Would it kill them to let me know how she is doing?' _Van accused.

"Sir!" a frustrated voice shouted near his ear. Startled, he glanced up, eyes darting around before resting on a black-haired female standing next to him. _'Where did she come from?' _Van wondered. Then he noticed her uniform; she was a healer. His hopes soared. _'Maybe she is here to tell me about Hitomi,' _he thought. "What is it?" he asked anxiously. His soaring hopes came crashing down with her response.

"I need to ask you to take a seat," she told him firmly.

Van felt like screaming, but instead took a moment to collect himself the best he could before replying. "Is there a problem with me standing?" he demanded, tilting his chin in the air somewhat defiantly; his royal blood spurring to life to resist taking orders from the shy woman before him. The first few times he didn't care when they had asked him to sit down, but now he felt unless they had news about Hitomi, they should just leave him be.

"Well sort of sir… what I mean to say is you're making the other patients nervous with your constant pacing," she explained timidly.

He glanced around at the room to see if there was any truth in her words. Nearly everyone in the room had their eyes on him: some amused, some wary. Blushing slightly that he had made such a spectacle of himself, he nodded his consent. The healer sighed audibly in relief and directed him to one of the numerous cushion chairs that were scattered around the room. Defeated, he sat down next to an older gentleman and watched the healer walk away to help someone else.

He let out a heavy sigh. Leaning forward he put his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands bringing the smooth skin on his face into contract with his rough, weathered hands, calloused from hours of training with his sword. The thought of his sword brought a brief glimpse of a smile to his face. In the confusion and the panic of the accident none of the healers noticed or even cared about the weapon Van carried at his side. Yet, after fetching Van one of his own shirts to ease the tension between them, Gabriel inquired curiously about the weapon, questioning its genuineness. When Van informed the man that the weapon was indeed authentic and a real sword, Gabriel grew pale and afraid. He immediately insisted on storing the sword with hospital security. Usually Van would fight tooth and nail to keep his sword, his main defense and symbol of his royalty, within his possession, but Gabriel informed him that storing the weapon was the only way Van would be allowed to stay in the hospital near Hitomi.

'_Hitomi,' _he thought with a sigh recalling his current situation.

'_This really is all my fault isn't it, Hitomi? People around me are cursed because I'm cursed with Draconian blood against my will. I am forced to forever hold filthy half-breed blood flowing in my veins,' _he thought condemning himself.

'_Why did I have to be so selfish? I should have just left her alone. If I hadn't come back and interfered with her life, she wouldn't be in this mess…' _He paused remembering the sight of her mangled body as it lay still on the ground. It was something he knew he would never be able to purge from his mind… or his heart. _'Why couldn't I have left her alone,' _he thought again berating himself.

"What brings you here?" a kind voice questioned. The unanticipated question directed to him caused Van to snap up in his seat. His nerves were fried; his patience had died long ago and here was someone hoping to start up a conversation with him. The mystic moon truly was a cursed place.

He spared a glance to the gentleman sitting next to him who voiced the question as he debated to himself if he should answer him or not. The man looked to be in his late sixties if not early seventies with cropped silver hair and several wrinkles that reached outward from his pleasant brown eyes. Van didn't want to answer him, but maybe talking would ease some of his tension.

"Hitomi," he began reluctantly.

"Your wife I presume?"

Van shifted uncomfortably in his seat; discreetly he looked for a distraction. "No. She's …" Van paused. _'What do I call her? She's certainly not my wife, but she's not some stranger either. What is she to me?' _"She's a friend," he finished feelingly slightly depressed. _'I doubt she's even that anymore. By the time I appeared in her life again, she had already forgotten me.' _

"Well?"

Van looked back to notice the amused smile on the other man's face. _'I think I missed something here.'_

"I said why do I get the feeling you're not happy that she is just a friend?" the man repeated.

'_Are the people around here so blunt?' _Van wondered as he fought to push back the embarrassment that wanted to creep up to his face as a blush. He took in a breath to collect himself. "She is my friend and nothing more," he said evenly.

"And you're okay with that?"

"Yes," he lied. The gentleman stared at him for a moment before speaking.

"I think you're lying."

Van cursed inside of his head but showed no outward reaction, a tactic he developed with dealing with other aristocrats who were out to screw him over. "You are mistaken," Van said lying again. _'Please let him believe it.'_

"I don't believe it. But please go on with your story,' he replied.

"She was struck by a…" Van paused briefly to think of the word Akio used, "car."

Immediately, the amusement in the other man's eyes died. "I see. Did they say how serious it is?"

Van shook his head no. "No one has bothered to update me on her condition."

"Don't worry too much though. You know what they say," the man reassured him. Van gave him a confused look. _'No I don't know what **they **say,' _he wanted to reply.

"No news is good news," the man continued.

Van snorted in disbelief. "How does that work?' he asked with a trace of sarcasm. _'The no news is killing me; how could it possibly be good? I wish they would tell me what is going on with her!' _

"Because if she was dying, they would bring you in to say your last words to her," the man told him. Van paused thinking over the old man's words. _'Maybe no news is a good thing,' _he decided. Just then he spotted the young healer Akio who was in charge of Hitomi's care on the ride over. _'I changed my mind; don't tell me about Hitomi,' _Van thought closing his eyes tightly shut.

* * *

Mrs. Kanzaki stood worriedly by the window. Her daughter had left nearly two and a half hours ago for the store and she still hadn't returned. The store was nearby; it shouldn't take her this long to fetch some chocolate chips even if she did take her time on the way to stop by and chat with someone briefly. 

A painful thought entered her mind as she briefly wondered if she was mistaken this morning. _'I thought you had forgiven me for last night; was I wrong?' _she wondered. _'I can't be. I know you well enough to know when you are angry and you weren't. So where are you Hitomi?' _

Feeling slightly hopeless, the woman stepped away from the window to return to the kitchen. The food, left untouched on the table, had long since gone cold. Tiredly she sat down in the chair. Mrs. Kanzaki didn't think her loving daughter would run away but doubts flooded her mind.

"No," she said aloud. "Hitomi is a good kid. There is a perfectly logical explanation to why she is running late," she continued to say, in attempt to convince herself. She had just about succeeded in dispelling all her doubts when the shrill ring of the phone interrupted her. _'That must be her. It's about time she called to explain why she is running so late,' _she thought in slightly scolding manner.

"Hello," she answered the phone so prepared to hear the apology from her daughter that she was surprised when the voice on the other end of the line was unfamiliar.

"Is Mrs. Kanzaki there?" the voice asked.

"I am," she answered. The voice hesitated. "If this is a telemarketer I'm not interested," she told the woman promptly.

"I regret to inform you, Mrs. Kanzaki, that I am not a telemarketer. My name is Dr. Anna Black. I work at the public hospital. Your daughter was in an accident," the doctor informed her. Mrs. Kanzaki felt the strength evaporate out of her body.

"Is she alright?" she whispered into the phone.

* * *

Anna frowned as she hung up the phone. _'Calling a victim's family and letting them know what was going on was the worst part of her job,' _Anna thought continuing to frown as she began to fill out the paperwork for the latest car accident victim, patient Hitomi Kanzaki. She was tempted to order one of the newer nurses to do it, but she changed her mind. Paperwork was a tedious, annoying task but she had yet to receive a patient injured as a result so obviously it never hurt anyone. 

"Did you reach the victim's parents?" a voice asked interrupting her from her work. Dr. Black looked up and recognized her boss.

"I just finished," she informed him looking him in the eye. As a result, he noticed the weary look in her eyes. It was a look that happened to many young doctors that witnessed too much pain and suffering at their job. After four years of long hours and horrific images, she felt burned out. He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I know it's hard to see victims in that operating room who are so young," he told her, "but with people like us here, they stand a fighting chance. And that's what matters."

She smiled, "thanks."

"Your welcome," he said before returning to his usual unsociable self, "now finish that paperwork before I or the nurse at the front desk has your head."

"Yes sir," she said heading to the front desk to finish preliminary paperwork there.

As she approached the desk, she noticed a group of young, fresh nurses had gathered around at the desk gossiping about one thing or another. Clearing her throat, she effectively gained their undivided attention.

"Is there a reason why you ladies are loafing around? This is a hospital and those serious in the medical profession have work to do, so if you consider yourself such a person than get to it."

"Sorry," they muttered with a few eye rolls and split apart.

"So what grabbed all your attention anyways?" Anna asked one of the few remaining nurses as she continued to fill out the forms for her latest patient.

"The young raven-haired man sitting next to Mr. Durlin."

"What's so special about him?" she asked not bothering to look.

"Nothing besides the fact he's absolutely gorgeous but in a mysterious, violent way," she answered with a slightly dreamy sigh.

Anna cocked up an eyebrow and looked at her. "Violent?"

The young nurse nodded eager to reveal the latest bit of gossip. "The few nurses that managed to slip under his angry, frigid glare got barked at for asking him to go sit down and relax."

"Hmmm," she said frowning turning to look for the man. Next to Mr. Durlin was the man from the ambulance. The one desperately concerned about the car accident victim. It all the commotion she had forgotten about him. She wondered if Gabriel came back to let him know the girl's condition.

"Dr. Black?" a nurse working at the front desk asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Gabriel left a note saying that he went on an ambulance run for a heart attack victim."

"I see. Thank you."

_Great,' _Anna thought looking back at young man, _'no one has told the poor boy anything. No wonder he looks so tense and agitated.'_

"Has anyone told him the news yet?" a male voice asked. Anna turned her head to see Akio at her side looking at Van.

"Apparently not. I was just about to," she answered.

"I'll do it," he volunteered.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," he said motioning Van over. As he did, Anna noticed two police officers, most likely assigned to investigate the car accident, had arrived.

"The police are here to get a statement from him," she told Akio. Akio nodded to show her that he heard before beginning to head in Van's direction.

When Van opened his eyes again, Akio was gesturing for Van to join him. Van sighed as he stood.

"It will be okay."

Van looked at the old man strangely. "How do you know?"

"He's smiling," he replied gesturing to the healer. Van looked to see if it was true. The man didn't look happy to him. He was motioning frantically for him to come over and Van thought he detected an impatient frown. Van grew worried. _'Should I go over there?' _A nudge from behind made him involuntarily move forward a step.

"Go," the man said. Van nodded and slowly approached the gesturing healer.

"It's about time," Akio said when he got over there. Van didn't respond and for a moment the healer hesitated to speak as well.

"How are you holding up?" The idiotic question caused Van to glare at him. _'Because of my self-centered actions someone I care about is close to dying. How do you think I'm doing?' _Van thought angrily. He was on the verge on yelling that aloud when he stopped short. Losing his composure now wouldn't help Hitomi.

"Is Hitomi alright?" Van asked when he finally gained control of his voice. Akio paused taking in a breath of air before expelling it in his explanation.

"The good news is she is doing much better. She'll have to undergo physical therapy, but she should make a full recovery in time," Akio began.

"And the bad news is…" Van prompted feeling apprehensive about the news to come.

"The bad news is for now she is in a comatose state," he told him frankly.

"What does that mean?"

"It's like she's sleeping," Akio tried to explain.

The apprehension grew. "Will she wake-up?"

"Absolutely. However, we won't know when. It could be in an hour or a week; these things vary," he told him. "Do you understand?" he asked. Van nodded not bothering to look at him. "Good. Now I need you to do something," Akio said gaining Van's attention.

"What?" he asked.

"The police are here to get a statement from you, so I need you to go talk to them," he informed him. Van looked back at him blankly. _'Police? A statement? What am I suppose to say?' _he wondered. Akio saw his confusion but not the reasoning behind it. "They just need to know what happened at the accident," he tried to explain.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Akio asked confused. Van didn't answer; he was too busy scrunching his eyebrows, as if concentrating hard on a problem. "Van?" he asked trying to get Van's attention again. _'I swear the man has the attention span of a goldfish,' _Akio thought exasperated. Meanwhile Van continued to think things over to himself.

'_Who is police and why should I tell them what happened? Should I even say anything? After all the whole ordeal is my fault… maybe I should just go back to Gaea. This trip was obviously a mistake…' _

"Hellllooooooooo," an annoying voice interrupted. Van blinked rapidly as he noticed a hand waving in front of his face. He caught the hand and glared at the perpetrator of his space as well as the interrupter of his thoughts. Akio glared back. "Now what's the problem?" Akio demanded.

"What problem?" Van asked gruffly pretending not to know what Akio was talking about.

Akio wanted to throw his hands into the air in frustration. Instead, he sighed to calm himself down before addressing him. "What's the problem with you talking to the police?" he said slowly. When Van delayed his answer, Akio grew suspicious. "You're not in trouble with the law, are you?"

"Sanders," a woman's voice called. Both men turned towards the voice. Van recognized her as the healer in charge of taking care of Hitomi. She beckoned to Sanders to join her.

"I'll be right back," he told Van before walking away. As the two healers talked, Van resumed his prohibited pacing.

"Are you Van Fanel?" a polite voice asked.

Van stared at the person blankly, not recognizing him, but decided to answer his question. "I am." _'But how do you know my name?'_ Van wondered.

"Good. I am Officer Kenneth from the Police Department. I'm here to ask you some questions about the accident. I understand you witnessed it?" the man began as he pulled out a small notebook.

"Yes, that's correct," he replied tightly. _'I'm here for Hitomi, not to be integrated,' _he thought crossly.

Officer Kenneth immediately picked up the tone; mistaking it for egotism, he grew angry. "Is there a problem?" Kenneth asked leaving out the politeness in his tone this time.

"Well as a matter of fact…"

"Van, buddy, we need to go," Akio said coming out of nowhere to latch unto Van's arm. Akio started to direct Van away when Kenneth stepped in front of the departing pair.

"Sorry Sanders, but I need to get a statement from him," Kenneth said unwilling to let Van off the hook.

"I know, Kenneth. And you will, but now is not the best time to talk to him," Akio told him trying to navigate Van away from him.

"But…"

"Sorry, but if you leave a card at the desk I'll have him call you when it is appropriate," Akio called back as he lead Van down the hall. Once they were out of the Kenneth's hearing range Akio spoke up to talk to Van. "What am I suppose to do with you?" he asked rhetorically.

Van realized this so he ignored answering Akio's question to voice one of his one, "I thought you said you wanted me to talk to the police?"

"Dr. Black changed my mind when she pointed out that you looked like you were about to let out all of your pent up anger on the guy. The police officers around here are nice, friendly and easy-going but even they have their limits. I highly doubt they would appreciate misdirected anger, even if you are going through a difficult time right now," Akio warned him.

"How sweet," Van muttered dryly. Akio stopped him.

"I know you are going through a tough time right now, but it doesn't give you the right to take it out on Officer Kenneth, me or anyone else," he told him seriously.

Immediately, Van grew defensive and angry. "You don't know anything about it. You don't even know me," he snapped staring at him intensely, daring him to disagree.

"Nonetheless you need to get your temper under control or I'll recommend that you are too dangerous to remain in the hospital," he told him seriously.

"You can't," Van snarled narrowing his eyes at the man.

"Oh really?" Akio responded seemingly unaffected by Van's visible anger. "I didn't comment on it at the time but I noticed that you carried a sword when we picked you up. That alone will go a long way to convince the hospital management that you could be potentially dangerous," he continued.

Defeated by the truth in his words, Van fell silent. Akio's eyes softened by the sight of Van looked so dejected and his anger evaporated. "I don't want to do that," he told Van honestly. "I just want you to control your temper or else it is possible someone will order you thrown out."

Van nodded after a moment. "I'll do my best," he told him.

"That's all I ask," Akio responded with a friendly smile. "Now because Hitomi is in a coma, we placed her in the intensive care unit located at the end of the hall. It allows us to constantly monitor her and immediately detect any change in her health."

Even though Van didn't understand all of the medical concepts of the Mystic Moon, he knew that when Akio said a "change" he meant for better or worse and that thought terrified the battle-weathered king. _'Please let her recover. I don't want her death to be on my hands.'_

In silence the pair walked through large doorless entryway to enter a circular shaped room filled with bustling healers, crying women, stone-faced husbands, and confused children.

"Here we are," Akio stated his voice void of cheer. Van looked at him quizzically before examining his surroundings once more.

Just like Akio, the area seemed devoid of hope leaving the air so frigid it almost hurt to inhale. Noticing the morbid expression on Van's face caused Akio to inwardly berate himself. If he ever wanted to become a full-fledged doctor he needed to remember to take his own emotions out of the situation and focus on the victims. Returning to his dry-humored self Akio finally spoke up again to erase the coldness of the situation. "Your girlfriend is in the room over there," he said gesturing to a door on the left.

"She's not my girlfriend," Van muttered with a trace of a blush on his cheeks. Akio grinned.

"Not yet you mean. In any case, do you think you can manage to get there on your own without pissing someone else off?" Akio asked teasingly.

Van rolled his eyes and grunted an affirmative. "I can only try," Van responded. Akio wondered if Van was only responding to his latter statement.

"Good. I'll check in on you later, but for now I've got to get ready in case of another call," Akio told him. Van nodded and moved towards Hitomi's room. His mind still preoccupied with thinking about the girlfriend comment. _'What am I doing? I can't think of things like that right now. For the sake of the gods, Hitomi lays injured. No, I would be more than happy if she lives through this and recovers,' _he thought to himself ignoring the part of him that insisted he wouldn't be happy but instead life would be barely endurable. Reaching a hand out to turn the knob, he hesitated. _'Should I really see her? What if my visit causes her more harm?' _After all that occurred today, Van felt it was entirely possible.

"Hey Van!"

Van turned to look at Akio. "What?"

"Nothing I'm just wondering if you're going to go in or not."

His morbid thoughts left him just shy of Hitomi's door where he stood hesitant several moments as he debated on entering. _'I owe it to you, Hitomi,' _Van resolved. About to take the extra step and enter, Van paused for one last moment to hear Akio's parting words.

"I want you to know that despite her appearance, she should make a full recovery. Okay?"

"Okay," Van agreed partially to reassure himself. The minute reassurance fled when Van placed his feet inside of the room. His eyes however remained fixated in horror at the scene before him.

Hitomi lay resting on a bed where wires and tubes went to and from her body. Then there was the issue of her face; black, blue and dark shades of purple colored her swollen skin, at least in the areas the bandages didn't cover. Her right leg, encompassed by a hard white substance, rested suspended in the air by a crude wire contraction. She looked terrible to put it mildly.

"Didn't they tell you despite her appearance she would make a full recovery?" a kind voice questioned. Only sparing a small glance at the old female healer who stood unobserved on the opposite side of the room without his notice, Van summoned the strength to speak.

"I was told she **_should_** make a recovery. There is a difference." His melancholy voice sounded weak, even to Van; yet neither people commented on it.

"That may be true but whoever said that was mistaken. This girl **will **make a full recovery… at least in time," the woman tried to reassure him. It helped… but not by much.

* * *

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?" 

"Take a deep breath, Ma'am, and calm down." The woman did quickly. "Now tell me, what's your daughter's name?"

"Kanzaki. Hitomi Kanzaki."

Dr. Black was taking a brief moment to sip the putrid, foul substance incorrectly labeled coffee when a distraught woman burst through the doors. She looked around frantically before rushing to the front desk. After recognizing the patient's name, Anna moved to intercept the woman.

"My name is Dr. Anna Black," she told the older woman.

"From the phone?"

"Yes I was the doctor assigned to care for your daughter. If you are ready, I can take you to see her."

Mrs. Kanzaki nodded.

* * *

After redirecting Van to a seat next to Hitomi's bed, the old woman departed giving the pair some privacy. Van sat uneasily next to Hitomi's bandaged form. He had seen warriors come off the battlefield with their bodies mangled. He heard them as they screamed out in pain uncontrollably as healers attempted to treat their wounds. Yet, none of those memories taught him to deal with his current situation. Those wounded men were warriors, and although they were wounded they at least had a chance to fight back and defend themselves. Hitomi didn't have that chance. She was innocent. Her hands did not carry the bloodstains from killing countless men like his did. Yet she was the one laying broken and battered in the bed. 

"Why?" Van asked himself. "Why did you get hurt Hitomi and not me?"

Her closed eyes and slight uneasy breathing pattern gave him no answers. His guilt silently simmering under the surface of his skin rose increasing his anguish. _'If one of us had to die it should be me. I'm the guilty one. I've fought in battle and ripped the lives of men away from their families, not you. So why? Why must you be the one hurt?" _

"Why couldn't it have been me?" he whispered raising a hand to gently trace her face. His fingers lightly made contact with her cheek as he whispered another set of words.

"Forgive me."

"What are you doing to my daughter!"

Van snatched his hand away and sprang to his feet to face his accuser. An old woman stood before him with green eyes nearly as surprised as his own. "Who are you?" she asked rushing to Hitomi's side to see if her daughter suffered any further harm under his care.

"Ma'am, this is the man I told you about. He saved your daughter's life and has been worried about her every since," Dr. Black explained as she entered the room.

'_Daughter's life?' _Van thought looking at the woman tenderly touch Hitomi's face just as he did moments before. '_That means…'_

"Forgive me," the woman said standing upright to face him. Worried eyes darted to look at her daughter before fixing on him. "I was just so worried. I didn't mean to… I'm sorry I acted the way I did." She took a deep breath, "thank you for saving my daughter's life." The King nodded, not sure what to say. Dr. Black saw the distress and grief within Mrs. Kanzaki as she turned to examine her daughter once more.

"Perhaps we should give them a moment," the doctor whispered to Van. Van jerked his head to look at the silently crying form of Hitomi's mother above her wounded daughter. Dr. Black shut the door behind her as she followed Van out.

* * *

**AN **I could have left it off on a cliffy but I didn't (mostly because I felt so guilty about taking so long). In any case I still would like to hear some of your comments because they really do help. (That and if I don't get comments, the next chapter will end on a cliffy for sure!) So please review! 

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PUSH THE BUTTON! (please!)


	9. Revelations

AN I apologize for the wait. Unfortunately, this is not edited because I was so desperate to post this before things get to crazy here at school. If you notice any errors, let me know so I can fix them.

Enjoy!

Syolen - I'm glad you like the story. I've always liked the idea of Van coming to Earth too.

aan - Thanks for the review. Sorry that it took so long to update.

killua - Here's the latest chapter. Hope you like it!

* * *

-Revelations-

* * *

"Do you have some place to stay?" Dr. Black asked looking down at the chart patient Hitomi Kanzaki's chart. When Van didn't respond she looked at him quizzically. His crimson eyes remained unfocused, clouded by uncertainty. Dr. Black furrowed her brows. "Van?"

Van had heard both comments but didn't know how to respond. He had yet to decide what action to take. _'What should I do? I- I want to stay but I'm afraid that something worse will happen to her if I do…. that is, if there is could be something worse than this,' _Van thought bitterly, continuing to berate himself for causing Hitomi's accident. Suddenly he felt Dr. Black's hand gently touching his shoulder. He turned his head to look at her. Her eyes looked at him worriedly but Van just shook his head to shrug off her concern.

"You're going to need to find a place to stay if you want to be here when she awakens," she repeated pulling back her hand.

'_If she awakens.'_

"She will."

Van's head jerked up surprised.

Dr. Black smiled sympathetically. She crossed her arms, holding the clipboard tight to her chest as she spoke, "I've been in this practice long enough to know when someone looks worried." She chuckled briefly before continuing, "I wouldn't be much of a doctor if I couldn't notice things like that."

Van nodded in understanding."Where can I find a place to stay?" Van asked, finally admitting to himself that he wanted to remain, despite whatever would happen next. He wanted to see Hitomi's emerald eyes open once more, if for no other reason, but to apologize and say goodbye. _'Not to mention I rather have my last image of her to be a more pleasant one,' _he thought reflecting on how injured and fragile Hitomi looked hooked up to those bizarre wires and machines.

"There's a Bed and Breakfast not too far from here, decently priced too."

'_Maybe so but I doubt it would take Fanalian currency,' _he wanted to respond.

"I have a better idea," a kind voice said from behind Van, "Why don't you stay with me?"

-

-

-

"Where in the world am I?"

Bewildered Hitomi looked around to find herself standing on a small, dirt path just above a gentle-sloped hill. A beautiful meadow ran the length of the hill, overflowing with long grass that stretched waist-high and a colorful array of exotic flowers that she had never seen before like lilac-shaped flowers of a burgundy shade and purple flowers with long, soft-looking petals dashed with specks of light blue.

But the most peculiar part of the unfamilar scene was her outfit. For some obscure reason, the twenty-two year old was wearing her old middle school uniform. If it wasn't so confusing, and if it weren't for her bizarre choice of clothing, Hitomi would have found the scenery quite beautiful and relaxing. As it was, she wanted some answers.

"Heeello?" she called out. "Anyone there?"

….

"Anyone?"

…

"Anyone at all?"

…

"Yep, anyone can answer."

….

….

"This bites."

Frustrated Hitomi walked closer to the edge of the meadow and sat down hugging her knees close to her chest. "What am I doing here?" she mumbled with her head buried in her arms.

"Don't you know?"

Startled at the sudden voice, Hitomi whipped her head around to look. _'Where was she thirty second ago?' _Hitomi briefly wondered. A beautiful middle-aged woman in a flowing white gown now stood before her on the path.

"Who… who are you?" Hitomi asked automatically. _'I really hope she doesn't respond with angel orf anything like that.'_

"You know who I am. We've met before."

Hitomi wanted to respond with a sarcastic quip about how she finds cryptic responses useless and irritating but something stopped her. The fact was, the woman seemed _**so**_ familiar._ 'Yes,' _something inside Hitomi said. _'Yes, I feel like I should know you but I can't explain why or how.' _So instead of speaking, Hitomi stared at the woman puzzled. The woman looked back at her with gentle crimson eyes. _'Crimson eyes that look just like…'_

Hitomi gasped as the realization sank in. "Oh my god, you— you're Van's mother."

Varie Fanel nodded once as she approached Hitomi's sitting form. "Yes. Yes, I am."

A muddled memory came to Hitomi's mind. "I met you… seven years ago in a vision. You came to give me a warning about something."

"Yes."

'_But that would mean…' _"I meet you on Gaea?"

"Yes, Hitomi on Gaea."

Hitomi released a deep breath. "… so it is real." She paused before continuing, the magnitude of her realization nearly overwhelming her. She swallowed, "Van was telling me the truth… about Gaea and Fanelia… and all of it?"

Varie smiled, equally full of compassion and pity for the confused and hurting young woman before her. "Yes, Little Seer" she whispered softly as she laid a reassuring hand on Hitomi's shoulder. "It's all real."

"But I don't understand. What am I doing here? Why are you here? What's going on? Why is Van back?"

"Slow down child, you will get the answers you seek in time."

"I'm sorry. It's just… I'm so confused by all of this. It feels so- so overwhelming," Hitomi's emerald eyes shimmered with tears. She just wanted to get away from it all. She wanted to be back in bed wrapped up in her warm blankets wake up and start the whole day over. She felt trapped.

Varie Fanel noticed Hitomi's anguished expression. Gracefully she knelt down beside her son's beloved and wrapped her in a motherly hug. "Hush child, it will be okay. Just cry until the tears stop."

Hitomi returned the embrace and cried into her shoulder.

-

-

-

Van stared at Hitomi's mother incredulously. "You want me to stay with you?"

"Yes."

Van couldn't believe the turn of events. His mind felt slow and muddled, his thoughts tangled. '_Hitomi's mother is offering __**me**__ a place to stay?'_

"But why?" he finally asked flabbergasted.

"Why not? From what I hear, you helped save my daughter's life. It's only right that I at least do you a small favor of allowing you to stay with me for awhile."

"But you don't even know me."

Mrs. Kanzaki nodded with a smile. "No, I don't. But once my protective instincts faded I realized that you stayed with my daughter because you were worried about her not because you wished her harm. Am I right, do you care for my daughter's wellbeing?"

"Yes."

Mrs. Kanzaki smiled at the conviction in the young man's voice, "well then, I believe it is only fit that you have a place to stay until she's doing better."

"I – I - thank you," he said, unable to think of anything else to say.

"You're welcome. Now what do you say we get back into the room to see how Hitomi's doing?"

Unsure, Van glanced at Dr. Black only to find her gone. Turning back to Mrs. Kanzaki, Van nodded slowly, still slightly bewildered, and followed the older woman back into Hitomi's room.

Mrs. Kanzaki took up residence on the right side of the bed while Van stood on the left near the door. The next few minutes passed in silence between the pair until Mrs. Kanzaki gasped.

"Oh Lord, what's going on? What's wrong with my child?"

Van whose guilt made it difficult to stand to stare at Hitomi's injured state for long periods of time had been looking out the window but suddenly focused on Mrs. Kanzaki's words.

"What is it?" he asked immediately standing in a halfway attack stance out of habit.

Mrs. Kanzaki had one hand covering her mouth and pointed with her free hand to Hitomi's bed. "She's crying. My baby is crying."

Van looked at Hitomi's battered face. Tears were leaking out of her closed eyes and running down her bruised cheeks. "But why?"

"I don't know. Stay here, I'm going to get a doctor," Mrs. Kanzaki said before racing out of the room. Van nodded. _'I wish I could help you Hitomi. I just wish there was something I could do.' _Van's hand gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks only to see new ones forming and falling from her closed eyelashes. _'What's going on inside of that head of yours, Hitomi,' _he wondered.

-

-

-

After what seemed like a few minutes, Hitomi's tears slowly subsided. She sniffled a bit and pulled away from Varie. Varie just smiled continued to soothingly rub her back. "Feel better?" she asked gently.

Hitomi nodded feeling slightly embarrassed by her emotional outburst. "Thank you," she said somewhat meekly.

"You're welcome. Now," the former Fanelian Queen said arranging her dress around her better, "how about I answer some of your questions."

Seeing that she had Hitomi's attention, she continued. "Firstly, let me explain why you are here. This is a part of your mind. You were wanting to escape the chaos going on around you so you created a safe and peaceful place to retreat."

"So, I'm sort of dreaming right now?"

Varie smiled indulgently. "Something like that. Do you remember what happened today?"

'_Let's see went for a run, ran into Van whom I thought didn't exist, passed out, woke up, got into an argument, raced off after recalling weird and painful memories and then I was…'_

Hitomi gasped as she remembered. "I was hit by a car."

"Yes, and as a result, your body was injured in the accident putting you in a coma."

Even though Varie said those words calmly, Hitomi became panicked. "Oh god, am I going to die?"

"No, no of course not." Varie rushed to reassure the girl.

"But you said I was in a coma…"

"A temporary one."

"So if I'm not going to die, why are _you_ here talking to me?"

"Part of the reason I am here is to help you understand."

"Understand? Understand what?"

"I'm here to explain to you why you forgot Gaea in the first place."

"What do you mean?"

"Most humans, when they survive a painful ordeal, they deal with their pain and grief in several ways, one of which may involve repressing painful memories or images. When this happens a person will refuse to acknowledge the memory of the experience and pretend it never took place. However, your case is a bit different than a normal person."

"Why is my case different?"

"Because for a long time you were the keeper of the pendant – an object capable of manipulating time and space around you to grant your desires. And during your stay at St. Michael's you made a wish."

A brief memory floated into mind. She was standing by a window, looking at the sky, tears running down her face as she wept bitterly. "What kind of a wish?" she asked as the details of the memory began to drift away.

"You wished to forget Van and others in order to move on with your life. But since the pendant was no longer in your possession, the wish could not be fully granted."

Hitomi was beginning to catch on to where Varie was leading. "But because I held the pendant for so long, part of my wish still came true… so that's why I retained some memories and not others?"

"Exactly."

The two woman sat in silence for a moment before a question surfaced in Hitomi's mind. "You said part of the reason you are here is to help me understand why I forgot about Gaea and its people, what's the other part of it?"

Varie let out a barely noticeable sigh. Then she turned her head to focus on Hitomi. "Unfortunately, though you generally mean well, your indecisiveness has hurt others, especially my son, in the past. I am here to end it one way or another. Therefore, the other reason why I'm here, the main reason, is to help you decide whether or not you wish to remember Gaea _**permanently**_."

Hitomi gasped. The words stung even if Varie didn't mean them cruelly. "I see."

Varie looked at the younger girl, so withdrawn, so different from when she first saw her all those years ago as she shouted out orders and directions to Van that spared his life. Varie truly did want to help her, but Fate had taken it out of her hands. There was only option left to her. She could let Hitomi deicide for herself and pray for the best.

"So what do you want? Do you wish to forget Gaea, its people, and the war you inadvertently participated in or reclaim your memories once more, all of them including every drop of blood you saw spilt to the way Van looks when he smiles?"

Instead of responding immediately, Hitomi picked a blade of grass, looked at it for a moment before tossing it aside. "That's a big decision to make after so many years."

"That's because your power results in major consequences."

Hitomi looked at her again, apprehension in her eyes. "…I don't know what I want to do," she confessed. "I mean, I haven't seen him in seven years nor spoken to him in the last four. Maybe if I…" her voice trailed off as she bit her lower lip. Varie waited patiently for her to continue. A few moments later, Hitomi spoke up again. "Please can I.. can I see him again first before I decide?"

Varie hesitated. She had the ability to make this happen but she had no idea whether it would lead to good or bad consequences.

"I just… I haven't seen or talked to him for so long." Hitomi explained as her hands nervously picked and tossed blades of grass and her emerald eyes looking at the ground. In that moment, Hitomi reminded her of her own two children when they wanted something so desperately but feared that they would be denied. Varie laid her hand on Hitomi's stilling its movement as she reached to pluck another blade of grass.

"Alright. But only for a short time."

"Thank you." As the world before her began to fade to white, Hitomi smiled and closed her eyes.

-

-

-

"Van?" a dry voice gasped out. "Van?"

"Hitomi, you're awake?" a concerned voice from her right asked.

Hitomi opened her eyes slowly and saw him hovering at her bedside. Her lips curled into a small smile. "Van," she repeated. When she tried to sit up, a sharp pain went through her body. She took in a sharp breath that didn't go unnoticed by Van.

"Are you in pain? I can summon a healer if you are."

She was in pain. Although the sharp pain had disappeared now that she stopped moving around, her head still felt like a construction man was drilling holes in it. Even so, Van's obvious concern for her bolstered Hitomi's spirits. Just as Van turned to leave to do as he said, Hitomi weakly reached up an arm to stop him. "Wait, Van. Just stay. Stay here for awhile."

"But if you're in pain…"

"Please just stay here with me. It's been so long since I've seen you. I missed you so much those first couple of years. It got to the point…" Hitomi winced in pain from shifting her weight around to look at him more clearly.

Van gently tried to maneuver her so she rested fully against the bed once more. "Just rest."

"No, I need to tell you this just in case I… I just need to say this. …and you need to hear it."

Hitomi took a deep breath before continuing and when she did she focused her eyes directly on Van. "My mother- she thought that I was delusional about the events concerning Gaea. That I had made the whole thing up in order to cover some bigger trauma. After a few years, she placed me in an insane asylum, a place where people with mental problems are treated."

Suddenly Hitomi looked down at the floor. Tears had entered her eyes at the memory of being forceful put in the asylum. She screamed desperately at her mother to come back but instead Mrs. Kanzaki walked away with tears in her eyes repeating that 'it was for the best.'

"Hitomi?"

Hitomi shook away the painful memory and continued her story with a tight smile. "I was there for nearly two years before I finally gave in and "admitted" that I never went to Gaea. Apparently the doctors at St. Michael's felt that I had invented the story to hide the painful truth about being kidnapped and held hostage for a week."

She saw him about to interrupt with a protest but she warded him off a small shake of her head. The next part was crucial. She needed to make sure she told him. "It was during this time, that I unintentionally wished for my memories of Gaea to go away."

Shocked and slightly hurt, Van made a move to step away, but Hitomi grabbed one of his hands near the bed, desperate to make him understand. "It wasn't because I wanted to forget you and Gaea and everybody but because I thought it was the only chance I had to be normal again. My mother and my friends believed that I never went to Gaea and would reinforce that idea whenever they visited."

Hitomi glanced up at Van. His eyes still held hurt but he continued to listen. "Near the end of the first year at St. Michael's… I started to have doubts about what took place when I was fifteen. Maybe they were right, I thought. Could there be something wrong with me, I wondered. Over a year and a half passed of rising doubts before I decided to give in. I figured, maybe it was for the best. Otherwise, I would remain in St. Michael's forever, locked up as some crazy girl who lived in a delusional world for the rest of my life. That was the night I inadvertently made the wish." She wiped away the tears with her free hand. "Please Van, please believe me. I never meant to hurt you."

Her words stung, but he was starting to understand. "I- I think I understand. But," he hesitated briefly before voicing the next part. "What about now?" he asked trying to keep all sources of emotion from his voice, especially the fear and worry he felt.

"Now?" she responded blankly.

"What do you want now?"

Hitomi searched his face for an answer as she thought. "A chance," she said finally.

"A chance? A chance for what?" As he looked at her for an answer he noticed her eyes starting to close once again and felt the grip on his hand became slack.

"Hitomi? Hitomi?" he cried out desperately shaking her hand slightly. She didn't respond. "_**Hitomi**_!" he screamed desperately. But Hitomi was already gone.

-

-

-

As she felt herself being pulled back to the sanctuary in her mind, Hitomi scowled.

"That wasn't enough time," she said frowning at the woman waiting patiently for her.

Varie was unaffected, she was married for nineteen years and raised two boys, neither pouts nor glares could work on her. "Is there ever?" she replied evenly with one eyebrow raised.

Hitomi sighed. "I guess not," she conceded.

"Well then, are you ready to decide now Little Seer?"

Hitomi bit her lip then nodded slowly. "Yes, I'm ready to end this." Her emerald eyes flashed determinedly. "For good."


	10. Resolution

**Author's Note**: I won't lie. I didn't even want to post this chapter, not because I disliked what I wrote, but because it was hard to acknowledge that this story has reached its inevitable conclusion. This was the first story I ever wrote. And now it is over. Please, if you don't mind, can you do me a favor? Send me a little note saying goodbye. It's silly, I know. But I'm going to miss this story and all the people who encouraged me to write it.

**Chapter Dedication**: Inda – I would have never kept going without your support. Thank you. I can't even express what a difference your words and constant encouragement meant to me. Without you, this story (and all my others) would never have been written.

* * *

Epilogue:  
Resolution

* * *

Silence greeted her when she entered the lavished room. The lights had been turned off hours ago. The massive bed lay empty and untouched. The covers still neatly tucked in like a sealed envelope waiting to be opened. It was all so still, so quiet. The door to the balcony was ajar and moonlight cast shadows across the unlit room. The figure shook her head knowingly, a small smile barely discernable in the dark. Walking with purpose in every step, she gracefully made her way to the balcony.

A gentle breeze drifted into the room from the open glass doors, teasing the ends of the short hair that framed her young face. As she approached the doors, her lips grew into a gentle smile that sent warmth into her sparkling eyes.

It was those eyes more than anything that drew people's attention. Their inherent honesty silenced the most unruly of men and their raw beauty stunned all who looked her way. It was even said that her eyes were said to be magical, able to perceive the unseen and known the unknown. Myths and speculations surrounded her but she ignored them. When asked directly about the rumors, she would smile and slyly change the subject. And so the rumors about her so-called "mystical powers" continued to flourish.

It was these eyes that watched the solitary man on the balcony, carefully noting his tense posture and rigid stance. A testament to his tiredness was the fact that he hadn't even noticed her presence. Normally, sneaking up on the former guymelef pilot was quite the achievement, worthy of a victory celebration or two. But tonight she merely huffed in exasperation and joined him.

"Do you ever take a break?" she asked with her usual aplomb attitude. She took pleasure in the way his shock of someone interrupting his thoughts soon faded into joy upon seeing who stood before him.

"Hitomi," he said, drawing her close.

She relished the way his arms held her so securely and the way he nuzzled his nose in the junction between neck and shoulder as if trying to memorize her scent and feel all over again. It made her feel like a giddy schoolgirl with her first crush, something she hadn't been for years. She hoped she could feel this way forever.

She laughed when she realized that the stubborn king had no intention of letting her go. "I've only been gone for a few days," she said, trying to wiggle her way out of his arms. The man just huffed in fond exasperation, sending puffs of warm air on her neck and a delighted shiver through the rest of her body. "Van," she said, the tone mixed between embarrassment and pleasure.

He laughed gently and finally pulled away. The intense auburn eyes that she fell in love with carefully looked her over.

"What?" she finally asked, unable to stand his intense gaze any longer. Sometimes the man didn't have a clue as to what those focused looks did to her.

"I missed you," he said gently, a hand slowly fingering the ends of her hair.

She smiled. "I missed you too," she said, pulling him down for a kiss. When they finally broke apart, she found herself delightedly breathless and deliciously close to him. "We went seven years with no contact and now we can't go a week," she said with a laugh. When his arms tightened around her waist and he didn't respond, she knew something was wrong.

"Van, what's wrong?" she asked concerned.

He hesitated a moment then loosened his grip so he could look at her. "Those seven years were the worst years of my life," he told her, "and I never want to go back."

She sighed in understanding. "I know," she said, a hand gently tracing the outline of his cheek. "I felt the same way. But I'm here now. We're together again and nothing is going to change that."

He laughed, but the laughter was tinged with years of pain and loneliness. "I know you're here," he said, "but sometimes it's hard to believe that you'll remain."

His words hurt. Not because he meant them to but because they were the truth. Even she had a hard time believing that they were finally together. They had spent years apart that the last four months of being together seemed small in comparison. So much of their lives had changed during those years that sometimes Hitomi wondered if they would ever be able to make things work between them. They were literally from different planets, different worlds. Even now she insisted on visiting her mother back on Earth for a few days every month. A fact that worried him. What if the bridge between their two worlds collapsed and she was stuck there? But the pendent was strong and the bridge continued to hold. She knew that deep down his real concern was that she would chose not to return to Gaea.

A concern that was completely unfounded.

The fact was she could no longer imagine a life without him. When she looked into the passionate reddish-brown eyes of his, she knew she could never love anyone else like she loved him. And no one could love her the way he did. She knew they would make it work. It was their destiny.

But that didn't make the road before them any easier. Although the people of Fanelia had welcomed her with open arms and shouts of joy, not all people were as eager to see a king with a mystic foreigner. And when he proposed the week before, they were even more displeased. It would be a long road ahead of them. But looking at the engagement ring on her finger, Hitomi was confident they would find a way.

So she kissed him again, slow and languorous, but full of the love and ardor that accumulated in those long seven years apart. "I'm here," she said again, staring into those intense eyes of his, "and here is where I'm going to remain."

And this time, he believed her.

Together, they watched the sun rise over Fanelia.


End file.
